Steve McQueen’s harrowing drama suffers from emotional detachment

Writer-director Steve McQueen has become adept at making movies about lost characters trying to find their way back to their families. He has it with 12 years a slave And he does so with his latest feature, Flash.
The historical drama was played 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 drop on London’s civilian population that predict exactly what is to come next. Flash is a capital made movie that, with a few exceptions, rings hollow.

Flash 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 tries 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 is a void in 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 he deals with the urban racial tensions or the economic discrepancies and labor uprising. It offers us a glimpse into the kind of movie it could have been by touching things up, however Flash Seems only interested in George going through or experiencing them for just moments before moving on to the next. I wanted to sit with the experiences of George and Rita as they go on their separate journeys throughout the film, but McQueen keeps us at a distance, as if afraid to get too close.

in a way, Flash is a portrait of war but without the many 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 every 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 alive. Otherwise, it felt like I was watching a very well-made film that couldn’t get into anything deeper.

It’s a tense, sometimes gut-wrenching movie that just leaves me feeling very small. There is a truth somewhere lying in the ruins, but McQueen is not fully engaged with it. Several contrivants drive the story, making it difficult to be fully immersed in what is going on. But really, it’s a strange lack of urgency and emotion that prevents Flash of being a visceral experience. By George, the film showcases the horrors of war, but it also doesn’t dig any deeper. It is sustained by the lead’s non-stop journey through the city – a journey that, save for a couple of devastating moments, falls flat.

Lightning is maintained by great performances and visuals

Saoirse Ronan is great, but Benjamin Clementine steals the show

While Flash May not be transformative, it is not all bad. McQueen is a capable director who moves deftly between different time periods, offering a glimpse into Rita and George’s life before and during the war. These moments can be easily jarring, but they work for the most part, although it can feel like McQueen is trying to fluff the film to give it more. Yorick Le Saux’s cinematography is stunning, capturing the stark contrasts of London – whether in darkness or light. The film is never boring to look at and there is so much in the details.

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 terrible situation over which they have no control. Ronan is always a joy to watch. She lights up the screen no matter what role she’s in, and it’s no different here. The actress imbues Rita with a gentleness that we feel at every turn, although 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 amidst despair is a bright spot. He is a truly decent man and a rock for George and the underserved in the community. Heffernan carries the weight of the story, but his character is quite passive after his escape.

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 is 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 is certainly more fascinated with war-torn London as a place in time than any individual character.

That’s ultimately what makes Flash Less interesting. There are moments that suggest something more, but the result is often empty and repetitive. It feels longer than it should, than it’s meant to be, and I couldn’t overcome the feeling of disparity that pulled me away from the characters and their hopes to unite.

Flash 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.