Analysis of 71

'71 Dir. Yann Demange

71 is an Action/Thriller movie based around the conflict between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Ireland and a member of the British army getting separated form his squadron amongst all the trouble.

The film was set in Ireland and was primarily filmed there other than the few scenes shot in England. Many of the actors had strong Irish accents to add to the feeling of the film being shot in Ireland. The accents made the characters feel more believable and not feel like a random actor trying to fake an Irish accent.  

The role of Gary Hook played by Jack O’Connell was relatable n some scenes as he had a strong relationship with his younger brother. The bond between them was very strong and this was made apparent when they went out for the day to spend time before he got sent over to Ireland. They went out and were playing football, messing around and didn’t get back to the place where his little brother was staying until 7 even though they are meant to be back at 5.  This made us warm up to O’Connell’s character as he was being sent into the middle of all the turmoil in Ireland to help sort everything out not knowing what he would face, but wanting to get back to his little brother after he told his little brother not to worry about him and that he would be fine and back soon. Also the events that he faces when serving out in Ireland makes us wonder about what hi relationship would be with his brother when he gets back. He see's his squadron friend get shot at point blank range, he was standing outside a pub that blew up right in front of him where there was a boy who was around the age of his little brother and who helped him find a safe haven where he was taken in with fairly open arms.  The audience would think that this would make him cherish his little brother more, or after everything he has witnessed he might return home with possible post-traumatic stress.

The tone and severity of the situation are shown by Demange in the way he shoots the scenes. Some scenes when Hook is with his brother, the camera shots are clear and are close-ups but when he is shooting the scenes in Ireland of all the fighting, the shots vary between close-ups and long shots, and turn from clear to almost dusty. This is done by Demange to help the audience get in touch with the mood of the film as it transitions from calm to hectic, with cars on fire, missiles being hurdled at the squadron and people confronting them causing trouble. This is to make the audience feel immersed in the film and feel as though they are alongside Hook in all the trouble unfolding in front of him.

The use of the close-ups in the film are used to show the feelings and facial expressions of the characters. We can see how they really feel as crowds gather in front of them and as they are assaulted with bricks, we see that really they are petrified because they didn't realise how severe the situation is. The use of the long shots in the movie help show the audience what is happening as it all unfolds. We get a full view of crowds gathering and walking towards the squadron and the aftermath of all the events that occur.