Name: Retro Film Review: Resurrection Man (1998)
Item: Resurrection Man
Rating: 30
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

Wars bring death, destruction and misery and because of that are disliked by most people taking part or being directly affected by them. There is, however, minority that sees wars in completely different light. For them, wars aren't calamity but opportunity. They give new meaning to certain acts that would otherwise be condemned by society; instead of being criminals, their perpetrators become heroes. Resurrection Man, 1998 British film directed by Marc Evans, explores this disturbing phenomenon.

Plot of the film is based on the novel by Eion McNamee (who also wrote screenplay) and deals with grim realities of 1975 Northern Ireland. In the long, dirty war between Catholics and Protestants streets of Belfast are turned into battlefield and the terror is the only weapon. Victor Kelly (played by Stuart Townsend), son of a Catholic father and Protestant mother, has joined Protestant paramilitary group. Trying to win the trust of his suspicious comrades, Kelly excels in torturing and killing enemies. After a while he gains charisma and gradually deprives group's leader Darkie Larch (played by John Hannah) of his girlfriend Heather Graham (played by Geraldine O'Rawe) and leadership. Kelly's butchery brings attention of Ryan (played by James Nesbitt), alcoholic journalist determined to gain fame by exposing terrorists. Because of media interest and Kelly's cocaine-fuelled killing going out of control, Sammy McClure (played by Sean McGinley), shadowy and well-connected leader of Protestant paramilitaries, begins to see charismatic thug as liability.

The violence in Resurrection Man is very graphic and very disturbing. Even more disturbing is fact that it was inspired by true story. But the audience would have problems to realise that, because Marc Evans gives only lip services to complicated political, social, economic and cultural realities of 1970s Northern Ireland. He is more interested in Victor Kelly as a typical gangster. Stuart Townsend gives truly chilling performance as psychopathic killer but Evans fails to explain his actions. Furthermore, while he suggests that most of the world's terrorists and "freedom fighters" are actually gangsters and thugs, he doesn't deal with collective psychology that transforms these monsters into folk heroes. Subplot with journalist – introduced in order to bring some "normal" point of view in the film – is compromised with that journalist being alcoholic. McNamee also complicates things with cheap melodrama, underlined with Evans' irritating MTV-style direction. Idea to confront the bleak realities of 1970s Northern Ireland with colourful, hedonistic lifestyle of Disco Era was good, but Evans didn't execute it very well. In the end, Resurrection Man is made watchable (at least for those who can stomach graphic violence) with good acting, but for films dealing with such important and unpleasant issues being merely watchable is equal to failure.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on April 12th 2004)