Writer-director Steve McQueen has become adept at making movies of lost characters trying to find their way back to their families. He did it with 12 Years a Slave and he’s doing it with his latest feature, Blitz.
The historical drama is set in 1940, during Nazi Germany’s blitz against Britain. At times harrowing and traumatic, McQueen never shows the moment the bombings happen. Still, there are close-ups of the weapons the Germans dropped on London’s civilian population that foreshadow exactly what will come next. Blitz is a capably made movie that, with a few exceptions, rings hollow.
Blitz focuses on nine-year-old George (Elliott Heffernan), who is sent to the countryside for his safety by his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan), a factory worker. After an hour on the train leaving London, George jumps off and attempts to return to his mother and grandfather (Paul Weller). He meets a variety of people on his journey back home, including the kind and gentle Ife (a wonderful Benjamin Clementine), and three brothers who refuse to be separated. George goes through a lot in a couple of days, but there’s a vacancy built into the narrative where there should have been emotion.
Blitz Is A Well-Made Film That Falls Flat
McQueen’s film has its moments, like when it delves into the city’s racial tensions or the economic discrepancies and labor uprisings. It offers us a glimpse into the kind of movie it could’ve been by touching on these things, but Blitz seems only interested in having George pass through or experience them for mere moments before moving on to the next. I wanted to sit with the experiences of George and Rita as they go on very separate journeys throughout the film, but McQueen keeps us at a distance, as though afraid of getting too close.
It’s a tense, sometimes gut-wrenching movie that simply left me feeling very little.
In a way, Blitz is a portrait of war but without the myriad of feelings that come with it. George is a spectator, and we see war-torn London through his eyes, but something is missing. Perhaps it’s because Heffernan isn’t given the chance to fully react to each scenario he finds himself in, and the film treats his every interaction like it’s checking off a box. The experiences he goes through should have felt more intense and more vivid. Otherwise, it felt like I was watching a very well-made film that couldn’t tap into something more profound.
It’s a tense, sometimes gut-wrenching movie that simply left me feeling very little. There’s a truth lying in the rubble somewhere, but McQueen doesn’t fully engage with it. Some contrivances drive the story, making it difficult to be fully immersed in what’s going on. But really, it’s a weird lack of urgency and emotion that prevents Blitz from being a visceral experience. Through George, the film showcases the horror of war, but it also doesn’t dig any deeper. It’s sustained by the lead’s non-stop journey through the city — a journey that, save for a couple of devastating moments, falls flat.
Blitz Is Held Up By Great Performances & Visuals
Saoirse Ronan Is Great, But Benjamin Clementine Steals The Show
While Blitz may not be transformative, it isn’t all bad. McQueen is a capable director who deftly moves between different points in time, offering a glimpse into Rita and George’s life before and during the war. These moments could’ve easily been jarring, but they work for the most part, though it does feel like McQueen is trying to fluff up the film to give it more. The cinematography by Yorick Le Saux is stunning, capturing London’s stark contrasts — be they in darkness or light. The film is never dull to look at and there’s so much in the details.
Benjamin Clémentine ultimately steals the show as the tender and soft-hearted Ife. The actor gives the film a much-needed boost of emotion despite only being in a few scenes.
The film takes us on an intimate tour through London, as George meets all kinds of people, many of whom are simply trying to do their best in a horrific situation they have no control over. Ronan is always a joy to watch. She lights up the screen no matter what role she is in, and it’s no different here. The actress imbues Rita with a gentleness we feel at every turn, though the biggest downside is that her role is mostly reactionary.
Benjamin Clémentine ultimately steals the show as the tender and soft-hearted Ife. The actor gives the film a much-needed boost of emotion despite only being in a few scenes. Through him, we feel the gravity of the situation, but his sense of hope amid despair is a bright spot. He’s a genuinely decent human being and a rock for George and the underserved in the community. Heffernan nicely carries the weight of the story, but his character is fairly passive following his escape.
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Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t get much to say and must primarily react to his surroundings, but George is a vehicle for the story more than he is his own character. It’s only through his interactions with Ife and, at one point, his mother that we get an idea of his sense of self. I would have loved for the film to have explored more of George, but it’s certainly more fascinated with war-torn London as a place in time than any individual character.
That’s ultimately what makes Blitz less interesting. There are moments that suggest something more, but the result is often empty and repetitive. It feels longer than it should as it meanders, and I couldn’t get over the sense of detachment that pulled me away from the characters and their hopes of being reunited.
Blitz screened at the 2024 Middleburg Film Festival. The film will be in theaters on November 1 before streaming on Apple TV+ on November 22. It is 120 minutes long and rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some racism, violence, some strong language, brief sexuality and smoking.
5/10
During the London Blitz of World War II, a diverse group of Londoners navigates the chaos and destruction of the German bombardment. Their intertwined stories of survival, resilience, and camaraderie capture the spirit of a city under siege.
- The performances are good
- The visuals are stunning and evocative
- The film is emotionally hollow
- George is more of a vehicle for the plot than a fully fledged character
- It feels too long and barely scratches the surface of its narrative