Michael Collins

Rating

Director

Neil Jordan

Screenplay

Neil Jordan

Length

2h 13m

Starring

Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Julia Roberts, Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman

MPAA Rating

R

Original Preview

Click Here

Review

Looking back at historical events through the lens of cinema is one of the many aspects of filmmaking that make the medium so important. Giving the audience a framework for the major events of the past can hopefully bring awareness to current issues. Take the situation in Ireland displayed in Michael Collins. The fight for freedom from overbearing oppression never ends and seeing courage and conviction in others can make for a terrific cinematic experience, if handled properly.

Director Neil Jordan explores the path to Irish independence as he follows a man forced to fight to liberate his homeland from the strict control of the British empire. Over the course of the film, Michael Collins (Liam Neeson) shifts from a crusader who’ll do just about anything to win to a man who will take what victories he can if it means further success farther down the line.

Neeson delivers a tremendous performance, his best work outside of Schindler’s List. Collins is a product of his environment and a reluctant hero in the fight for independence. He must decide between the right and wrong way go about securing his and his fellow countrymen’s freedoms and balance that with the importance and significance of his efforts. Neeson’s performance quickly convinces the audience that support for his character and his character’s cause is righteous and that’s the most any actor can possibly do.

His support is incredibly strong including Aidan Quinn as his friend and confidant; Alan Rickman as a foreign national fighting for Ireland, but only to protect his own desires; Stephen Rea as a government official working at once for and against the Irish Republican Army; and several others in solid supporting roles. The only actor miscast in this film is Julia Roberts, who shifts in and out of her Irish accent with such frequency that it’s hard to tell what she’s doing. Her overall performance is in her upper tier of successes, but it’s far from her best work.

Jordan’s attention to detail and his ability to paint enemies and friends in differing, complex shades, exemplifies why his work as a director was frequently and criminally underrated. Unfortunately, his passion for films like this and The Crying Game may explain why they succeed so effectively while other works in his oeuvre are less impressive. Michael Collins takes the audience on a significant journey to explore the environment that leads a people to rise up against their oppressors and while Ireland’s relationship with the United Kingdom has improved in recent years, forgetting the sins of the past is not something we should ever do.

Review Written

June 1, 2021