Kes

The Wind That Shakes The Barley Review

Having already won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, director Ken Loach's look at the struggle for Irish independence and the birth of the IRA has drawn both praise and criticism in equal measure, thanks to his less than sympathetic portrayal of the British soldiers who occupied the country in the early 20th century.

And it's fairly easy to see why some people are upset - Loach certainly declares his intentions early, as a young man is beaten to death for refusing to tell the soldiers his name in English. This causes his friends - including aspiring doctor Damien O'Donovan (Cillian Murphy) - to join the armed struggle to drive the Brits out. What follows is their story as they train and attack. As the battles get more and more bloody, a truce is finally called and a deal stuck, which will see the Irish gain a greater deal of independence. But for some this is not enough and soon blood is being shed once again as civil war threatens to tear communities and families apart.

There's no doubt that the Irish revolution and the subsequent civil war are stories which need telling, but you can't help but feel that Loach has maybe simplified things a bit too much here. Packed full of incredibly complicated and emotive issues, this slice of history needs more than a couple of hours to be explored and to do the period justice - but time is something Loach doesn't have. However, by keeping the action in one rural community, he does at least tell his story from the perspective of those most affected by events.