Hunger

Except for Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), visual artists turned directors have had a tough time at the cinema, but Britain's Steve McQueen beats the odds with this award-winning film, a visceral depiction of a political hunger strike. Guard Raymond Lohan (Stuart Graham) serves as our guide into the hell of Belfast's Maze Prison, circa 1981, where Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender in a remarkable performance) and his IRA brethren hunker down in blankets, since they refuse to don uniforms and can't wear their own clothes. The men dump food on the floor, smear waste on the walls, and sleep with maggots to protest their conditions. But even after authorities move the prisoners, the mistreatment continues, so they step up their campaign. While Hunger is not an easy film to watch, McQueen does provide a reprieve from the constant misery with Sands' centerpiece debate with Father Moran (Liam Cunningham). In his director's statement, McQueen says he wanted to “show what it was like to see, hear, smell, and touch in the H-Block.” Because he smartly avoids editorializing, viewers may find themselves simultaneously condemning the prisoners for their naïve idealism and admiring them for their singularity of purpose. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the 1981 BBC program “The Provos' Last Card?” about the Maze prison hunger strikes (45 min.), an interview with director Steve McQueen (18 min.), a “making-of” featurette (14 min.), an interview with star Michael Fassbender (14 min.), a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Chris Darke, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a powerful film.] (K. Fennessy)