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Hunger
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Hunger

2008
Drama
1h 36m
The last six weeks of the life of the Irish republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. (imdb)
Directed by:
Steve McQueen Steve McQueen
Written by:
Enda Walsh Steve McQueen Steve McQueen
+1 more
Starring:
Liam Cunningham Liam Cunningham Michael Fassbender Michael Fassbender Stuart Graham Helena Bereen Larry Cowan Dennis McCambridge Lalor Roddy
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Genre:
Drama
Countries:
Ireland, UK
Languages:
English, Irish Gaelic
imdb More information at IMDb
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Hunger

2008
Drama
1h 36m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 68.01% from 2415 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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kmcneilKMcNeil
Rated 01 Apr 2009
9
94th
Despicable, disgusting, dehumanising. McQueen pulls no punches in "Hunger", which effortlessly switches between main characters twice (!) in the first 30 minutes, and is ridiculously well photographed with an eye for off-kilter framings and compositions both complex and simple. Impressive mix of on the one hand disgusting, raw scenes of violence and degrading treatment of prisoners - and on the other slower, meditative dialogue scenes (especially the one in the middle).
Rated 01 Apr 2009
jebJeb
Rated 06 Mar 2009
90
79th
Hunger is a potent, impressive and well-made travel into the center of madness. A very realistic re-imagining of the rebeling 1981 Irish hunger strike and final moments of their principal, most important associate Bobby Sands. May I say that the prolonged conversation between Bobby and Dom is incredibly well-done. Affecting, shocking, distressing and unspeakably painful to see, Hunger is a stunning film that is one of the best of 2008 and proves McQueen is a spectacular man.
Rated 06 Mar 2009
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 23 Dec 2011
53
41st
Glossy, technically invested, certainly does a lot to visualize its subject matter, but in terms of content I guess you could call it malnourished. We see the IRA guy getting mistreated in prison for a while, then there's a passable 20-minute dialogue between him and a priest, most of it in a single, carefully lit long-shot, and then we spend another while seeing what he looks like starving. It does well what it does, but I tend to look for more in cinema.
Rated 23 Dec 2011
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 02 Jan 2010
9
91st
This was a directorial debut? McQueen better not be a one hit wonder as I want to see more from him as this movie seemed to be the work of a veteran. "Hunger" offers some of the best photography you will see in a film which only compliments the starved script. Michael Fassbender sets a new epitome for commitment to an actors role in film. Brutal to watch but you'll leave feeling like you have gorged on something wonderful.
Rated 02 Jan 2010
realmacgyverRealMacgyver
Rated 21 Jan 2009
60
30th
Slightly disgusting tale of prison protests. While the middle reel is good, the discussion between Don and a priest, the film as a whole didn't do much for me. I had trouble feeling sympathy for the prisoners as they seemed to be protesting petty stuff from my stand point, and in the worst possible ways for themselves. Obviously the guards and cops were complete bastards but it takes more than that to give me proper empathy for their cause...
Rated 21 Jan 2009
deathrowDeaThRoW
Rated 21 Jan 2009
90
85th
An impressive physical and psychological trip by way of a very personal, very actual nightmare served with graceful humaneness and understanding in one particular dialog. But THE thing about Hunger is that irresistible sense of artistic subtlety all over the electrified air... Another thing, of course, is Michael Fassbender.
Rated 21 Jan 2009
bownBown
Rated 29 Nov 2009
84
72nd
Painful to watch a lot of the time, but overall really powerful. I liked it a whole lot.
Rated 29 Nov 2009
okkervilOkkervil
Rated 18 Oct 2009
81
86th
Highly affecting and powerful film. Filled with some of the most raw emotion I have ever seen on film. It is at times an uncomfortable watch, but is well worth it.
Rated 18 Oct 2009
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 18 Oct 2009
9
93rd
Extremely powerful, and arguably the best thing 2008 had to offer. Fassbender gives a great, albeit insane, performance. Steven McQueen showcases the best directorial debut since Being John Malkovich - this guy has a lot of potential to do some great things. Gotta love those long takes and the cinematography was top notch. Great film!
Rated 18 Oct 2009
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 01 Dec 2018
94
95th
You know you're starved when you need a cage over your torso to stop a blanket from crushing you to death
Rated 01 Dec 2018
hofschneiderHofschneider
Rated 11 Jan 2013
98
99th
The way McQueen changes the perspective over and over again. The way this movie becomes an angry denouncement, becomes an intelligent intellectual argument (in one perverse-good shot), becomes a poetic, melancholic piece of memory and pain, while it still has the time and the stylistic ideas, that fit every aspect of these story(s) is nothing less but brilliant. Oh, and, Michael Fassbender is clearly the best actor of his generation. Wow.
Rated 11 Jan 2013
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 12 Nov 2008
7
57th
McQueen breaks all the rules with 'Hunger'. While the script is pretty bleak (almost no script at all if you ask me), McQueen manages to portray the gritty and emotionally draining experience those people went through with stunning compositions that already established his visual cred, and I extol him, because I walked out knowing I had seen something different. Other than that long continuous shot that left me indifferent, I find it worth seeking out.
Rated 12 Nov 2008
drawkward86drawkward86
Rated 26 Dec 2010
91
80th
Harrowing, irreverent, fearless, virtuosic, inimitable, beautiful, unforgettable. Steve McQueen shows himself a true artist; in the hands of a more experienced director, this could have been a film with more technical proficiency and a screenplay that obeyed the traditional laws of character arc and continuity, and as such, would have been another above-average movie about the Irish Troubles to throw on the pile. Cheers to McQueen for having the balls to make the movie he wanted. It's great.
Rated 26 Dec 2010
vercettivercetti
Rated 10 Aug 2009
93
96th
Made me really hungry.
Rated 10 Aug 2009
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 29 Aug 2010
62
20th
Meh. Relies on a lot of shock value of that sort of "beauty of ugliness" which I find very boring and a bit cheap. I didn't care to see a sympathetic portrait of Sands, much less one that glorifies his martyrdom to such an extent. I will admit that the film has some powerful cinematography, good performances and a very well-written dialogue at its center. But I thought it was trying to appear even-handed when it was really quite one-sided, nor was I impressed by its "edgy" brutality and squalor.
Rated 29 Aug 2010
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 07 Mar 2009
75
65th
Nearly constantly painful to watch, this film shoves the gritty and brutal truth right down our throat. The calm, long scene in the middle with the off-beat (and admittedly slightly out of place) conversation between Bobby and Dom serves as a good break from the madness with some comic relief tossed in, before it's right back into insanity with a whole new kind of pain. It feels cheesy to label a film as "important" but this one certainly is.
Rated 07 Mar 2009
boyd_crowderBoyd Crowder
Rated 01 Dec 2008
83
74th
great, but nonetheless one of the few films I never want to see again
Rated 01 Dec 2008
chemical404chemical404
Rated 27 Mar 2009
77
92nd
One of favorites from 2008. Steve McQueen turns a thin script into a very powerful movie. There were times when i just stopped breathing for some time without noticing it. Also what Xtian Bale did for 'Machinist' was easily beaten in this film:)
Rated 27 Mar 2009
djrossdjross
Rated 07 Jun 2012
70
77th
Impressive in many respects, especially the lengthy central dialogue scene (a structure reminiscent of both Hitchcock's PSYCHO and Scorsese's CAPE FEAR). While lurid, in some ways it downplays the melodrama, and mostly leaves the viewer to weigh the costs and responsibilities. In my view, the tripartite structure (naked brutality; dialogue; journey beyond the infinite) deliberately mimics 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, perhaps even more so than does THERE WILL BE BLOOD.
Rated 07 Jun 2012
prowlerprowler
Rated 15 Mar 2009
59
57th
the conversation in the middle of the film is awesome, and i try not to use that word lightly. the rest of the film is more style than substance, but i like that it doesn't force views on the viewer, although it sometimes comes close.
Rated 15 Mar 2009
caimancaiman
Rated 03 Mar 2010
87
85th
This was a very unsettling, powerful movie. So much disturbing, visceral imagery that really got under my skin, and done with little dialog. The haircut scene was especially painful to watch. Director McQueen chose many unusual shot compositions and camera movements, which made the movie quite visually intriguing. The most impressive part was the extended, single-shot dialog sequence about 2/3 of the way through.
Rated 03 Mar 2010
rufamRufam
Rated 31 Aug 2011
75
72nd
"Hunger" is an unflinching, brutal and occasionally brilliant film that announces Steve McQueen's emergence as a major talent. Although there are problems with the pacing and the first half is dull, after a terrifically shot and acted 27-minute dialogue scene, the film picks up. McQueen's camerawork is precise and sharp, the cinematography beautiful and Fassbender's performance dauntingly powerful. If the focus had been placed on Bobby from the start, this could have been even better.
Rated 31 Aug 2011
whatismynamewhatismyname
Rated 09 Jan 2009
70
77th
When neither side gives an inch, you get an experience that was wonderfully portrayed in this film. It's scary how some actors take physical transformation so seriously.
Rated 09 Jan 2009
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 09 Aug 2010
89
92nd
Bleak and without easy answers, but it's a very powerful film. Relying almost entirely on ambiance and the implied thoughts and feelings of the characters, most of the dialogue is incidental to the frustration, hate and desperation that oozes through the picture. By leaving characterization at a minimum it actually becomes even more powerful as it avoids begging for specific sympathy, letting the general pain of civil strife come to the fore.
Rated 09 Aug 2010
mike365365mike365365
Rated 01 Jan 2021
40
5th
shit on walls, full stop, proceed no further.
Rated 01 Jan 2021
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 20 Jun 2010
84
85th
I find it hard to dislike this film and, at the same time, hard to LOVE it. It is beautifully shot, passionately acted, and powerful. However, it kills me that after "the scene" the film just kind of falls away. This probably deserves a higher rating, and normally I would rewatch it...but I don't want to.
Rated 20 Jun 2010
rttntomatoesrttntomatoes
Rated 03 Jan 2014
90
75th
Unflinching, uncompromising, vivid and vital, Steve McQueen's challenging debut is not for the faint hearted, but it's still a richly rewarding retelling of troubled times.
Rated 03 Jan 2014
jmboschJMBosch
Rated 09 Nov 2008
93
97th
Expertly shot and powerful. While light on substance, the focus is much more on the protesters' experience itself. The story is advanced at times subtly and at times brutally in your face, but almost always with minimalist dialog. The fact that a first-time feature director got these great, demanding performances from his actors is impressive. The 20-minute dialog scene in the middle was fantastic.
Rated 09 Nov 2008
filmfreak88filmfreak88
Rated 21 Dec 2010
85
89th
The first part seemed interminably long and pointless but thankfully, the film picks up towards the middle, with that awesome, well-acted, and compelling conversation between Sands and the priest which sheds light on the scenes that came before it and the subsequent depiction of the hunger strike. An emotionally stirring and realistic albeit painful and extremely tough to watch portrayal of mad but principled determination.
Rated 21 Dec 2010
obdurateObdurate
Rated 08 Feb 2009
90
91st
It makes you feel what they're going through. A scene of cleaning piss, where the prison worker actually comes towards you with said piss, a 17 minute continuous shot of fascinating dialogue, and just a pile of ugly and gritty scenes. It feels claustrophobic, as it should, and the acting is fantastic. All of it makes this one of the best movies '08 had to offer and definitely just an all around original and engaging film.
Rated 08 Feb 2009
nathandarkoNathanDarko
Rated 07 Jan 2009
90
79th
Hunger is a good Movie...no doubt, it's disturbing, shocking, provacting and of course critical of society. Some scenes go thraight into your face like someone beats you with a sledge hammer. Hard to watch, I don't need that one again. But compliment to MC Queen for great Work as Director.
Rated 07 Jan 2009
nobletNoblet
Rated 02 Apr 2012
79
67th
I thought that the first act was pretty poor, but thankfully the rest of the film was much better. The story is told well without relying on a lot of dialogue, and the one dialogue heavy scene is very well-written.
Rated 02 Apr 2012
ozgrenouilleOzGrenouille
Rated 07 Mar 2010
90
86th
incredible debut.
Rated 07 Mar 2010
the_pirateThe Pirate
Rated 18 Jun 2018
86
82nd
One of the strongest directorial debuts, period.
Rated 18 Jun 2018
sorksork
Rated 18 Dec 2008
89
93rd
Extremely well done. The dialog between Sands and the priest is so natural that it strips away any resistance to the suspension of belief. Unique scene that is entirely novel. What is missing from the film is a look at the context of the struggle. Knowing relatively little about the conflict, it would be nice to have some outside shots explaining the oppression, if any, related to British occupation.
Rated 18 Dec 2008
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 03 Sep 2010
86
54th
I know what is happening here, and I appreciate the genius behind it, but there just seems like there's some disconnect between this movie and my heart. I never really felt swept up in it. (The closest I got was during the conversation between Bobby Sands and the priest, which is definitely the best part of the film.)
Rated 03 Sep 2010
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 04 Mar 2016
85
87th
A mostly quiet movie, that occasionally decides to ramp up the noise and intensity and when it does it's very effective. It's very visually pleasing, and features some stellar acting by Fassbender and Graham.
Rated 04 Mar 2016
bhajansunlobhajansunlo
Rated 23 Jan 2021
60
37th
The problem with McQueen is that he doesn't trust the viewers imagination or empathy so he relies heavily on explicit manipulation.
Rated 23 Jan 2021
lawlaw
Rated 14 Sep 2017
55
47th
I was bored. Plenty of more interesting and worse things have happened throughout time and all over the world--I don't get why this is a story that needed to be told. Even Michael Fassbender couldn't save this.
Rated 14 Sep 2017
baggerBagger
Rated 30 Mar 2012
67
41st
To me, Steve McQueen seems like the perfect male Sofia Coppola.
Rated 30 Mar 2012
kojilessKojiless
Rated 27 Sep 2012
91
94th
In the first half, McQueen shows us that a deep, compelling story can be told with almost no dialogue at all...and then BOOM, he kicks us in the groin with one of the most epic one-take dialogues in modern film. And then he shows us Fassbender's groin. Game, set, penis.
Rated 27 Sep 2012
mojojojoMojo_Jojo
Rated 07 Nov 2008
47
29th
Well shot and generally it is a very well put together film, but that alone is not enough. There's no substance here, it instead chooses to rely on being "challenging", which is a very weak premise to try to balance a whole feature-length film upon.
Rated 07 Nov 2008
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 29 Aug 2013
10
7th
"Why can't we all just get along?", asks Steve McQueen, shares some choice Thatcher quotes and shows us how hard being forced to torture political prisoners actually is. There's no movie here, only amateurish cinematographic posturing with no sense of context. Conveniently there happens to be a lengthy conversation in the middle that tells you everything you should think about the movie.
Rated 29 Aug 2013
inhmninhmn
Rated 09 Jan 2010
98
80th
Im quite glad the movie moves from the general to the personal. And the final hour is heavy as a freight train. It can physicaly hurt you ! And I regret the fact that i'm living in an shitty-Avatar-country and I would never see movies like Hunger on a big screen :///
Rated 09 Jan 2010
heapshakeheapshake
Rated 11 Mar 2010
60
53rd
Not a film I want to watch again anytime soon, but it was able to make me feel like taking a shower afterward.
Rated 11 Mar 2010
ermanenermanen
Rated 30 Mar 2009
100
94th
perfect.
Rated 30 Mar 2009
matty1708matty1708
Rated 27 Oct 2010
84
79th
Very daring and executed amazingly well. I'm just not sure if the audience was supposed to sympathise with Bobby Sands
Rated 27 Oct 2010
proximityProximity
Rated 18 Mar 2013
75
72nd
The highlight is an extremely well-rehearsed, singular shot of a long (srsly) discussion.
Rated 18 Mar 2013
tathieltathiel
Rated 04 Nov 2012
79
60th
Not as convincing as I thought it would be.
Rated 04 Nov 2012
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 25 Nov 2012
92
93rd
A very grown-up film, perhaps lacking in sufficient background for someone who didn't live through the times.
Rated 25 Nov 2012
natebarriosnatebarrios
Rated 03 Mar 2012
80
86th
More horrific than most horror movies. Though I may not want to revisit it, I do praise it for being incredibly engrossing while abstract. These images cut like a knife.
Rated 03 Mar 2012
davidjohnsonDavidJohnson
Rated 01 Feb 2012
91
94th
This film is split up into 3 parts. The first part is the "dirty protest". The second part is a huge monologue with very few cuts with Michael Fassbender and a priest. The third is the hunger strike. All 3 are entertaining, shocking, and real. The third however is the one that sticks with me the most. Maybe because I'm not depressed, or have any desire to become a martyr, but that is fucked up. I have no idea how this is a directorial debut by anyone. It feels very professional and stylish.
Rated 01 Feb 2012
peyezpeyez
Rated 14 Mar 2021
9
96th
Is there is a more confident feature debut from a director? Orson Welles comes to mind. McQueen's film is perched on a level of faith I can hardly fathom: he trusts his own ability to pull off the structure he's laid out for himself, and he trusts his audience to know what to do with the time and space he gives them. He also puts into action a crucially important insight: that giving unequal screen time to your characters does not preclude taking an equal interest in each of their stories.
Rated 14 Mar 2021
adoomoot3a_doomoot3
Rated 31 May 2009
96
80th
It left me staggering.
Rated 31 May 2009
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 10 Jan 2012
75
37th
The first and last parts of the film were compelling - virtually no dialogue and everything driven by visuals. I love it when films are that good. But the crucial middle scene was the exact opposite, and bored me senseless with its wordiness, static angle, and sheer length. Talk about a bad fit. As a whole, the film was too simple by far with its one message - which was not even made particularly clear if you're not a history buff. The performances made the film, the director is nothing special.
Rated 10 Jan 2012
indifferentiindifferenti
Rated 10 Aug 2012
9
81st
A really important film -- the IRA hunger strike is a story that really needed to be told, and I'm glad McQueen handled the material so unflinchingly. Does a great job exposing the cruelty inherent to remaining a bystander when human rights are being violated.
Rated 10 Aug 2012
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 09 Dec 2011
80
75th
A shockingly brutal portrayal of one aspect of the conflict in Ireland.
Rated 09 Dec 2011
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 22 Aug 2020
93
88th
A fascinating, gruelling, ugly journey into pain and despair is the most confronting depiction of prison life this side of MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - brilliantly performed by all (highlighted by an astonishingly committed break-out for Fassbender). It's almost tempting to write this off as tragedy porn, until the stunning mid-section break with Fassbender and Cunningham, which could stand on its own as a gripping, powerful meditation on the ethical conundrum of self-flagellating protest. Potent stuff.
Rated 22 Aug 2020
meolmstemeolmste
Rated 13 Mar 2021
7
56th
Brutal, disgusting, hard to watch, and upsetting. Well done.
Rated 13 Mar 2021
naypalmNaypalm
Rated 16 Jun 2014
71
44th
A well made film, not my style though.
Rated 16 Jun 2014
ysincYSinc
Rated 20 Jul 2022
71
63rd
+Fassbender performance -Could have been wider and deeper
Rated 20 Jul 2022
carsonwidCarsonWid
Rated 12 Nov 2010
80
88th
Three very good acts, which are almost three different stories, but all tied together very well, and ultimately very effective. Amazing debut by McQueen, the mood and atmosphere was stunning.
Rated 12 Nov 2010
glmglm
Rated 28 Feb 2011
83
74th
83.000
Rated 28 Feb 2011
teckgeckoteckgecko
Rated 18 Mar 2013
75
66th
A stunning piece of art and history that is absolutely punishing to watch.
Rated 18 Mar 2013
3drevelation3dRevelation
Rated 10 Mar 2012
74
57th
A pretty decent film and good debut by Steve McQueen. The film has little dialogue, and McQueen decides to instead tell the story mostly through silent imagery. The scene with Fassbender and the priest is very good. The hunger strike as seen through Fassbender is hard to watch, and the ending was really good.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
abolitionistAbolitionist
Rated 11 Jan 2009
94
87th
Was very much affected by this movie, and enjoyed some of the long shots but sometimes had trouble getting into the kind of mental mode necessary.
Rated 11 Jan 2009
dasunddasund
Rated 15 May 2011
54
11th
Except for the dialogue with the priest a sequence of esthetic images of violence. I never got a chance to know any of the characters, not even Bobby Sands since he shows up out of nowhere halfway trough the film. The ambition of objectivity seems to have made impossible any sort of context or explanation. I would have had to have been there, if not in Maze at least in Northern Ireland at the time to make any sense of the film.
Rated 15 May 2011
matthagenmatthagen
Rated 16 Mar 2020
29
8th
I didn't find this to be powerful or rewarding. I find it to be bleak and torturously slow.
Rated 16 Mar 2020
treyatwoodTreyAtwood
Rated 24 Mar 2012
80
80th
Unique. As minimalist and visceral as it's title. Hunger. There's no emotion. Only the urgency of the body, the gestures and the standing.
Rated 24 Mar 2012
venom256venom256
Rated 28 Jul 2009
77
61st
Brutal, violent, disgusting, but sadly accurate. Fantastically well made film on the director's debut, but it's hard to say I enjoyed the film simply due to its content.
Rated 28 Jul 2009
actionbergActionberg
Rated 24 Jan 2012
95
97th
An incredibly powerful work with so much going for it. I simply love the film's unique structure of visceral, uncompromisingly brutal (while simultaneously beautiful to behold) content surrounding a single Spartan conversation in an empty room about the issues at the core of the story. It's not didactic, nor is it exactly neutral. It shows what the situation, and ultimately humanity, truly is: complicated to the point of absurdity. It's a draining experience, but also an unforgettable one.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
damildamil
Rated 30 Jan 2012
80
90th
The film is dark, disturbing, violent, disgusting and pretty brilliant, I thought. It's also quite slow-moving, with many long takes, which might put some people off. I often found it quite hypnotic though. Also, Michael Fassbender is totally fantastic.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
comepeliculacomepelicula
Rated 23 Sep 2012
70
72nd
This is an fantastic drama that sustains itself in the incredible script and the even more incredible performances.
Rated 23 Sep 2012
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 16 Mar 2012
70
72nd
Not very rewarding as a narrative feature about the hunger strike itself, but an admirable effort of artistry and a disquieting, restless study of the human body and its biological limits. McQueen has a great conscience of where to put the camera and when to move it -- sometimes it even looks like he's proud of showing his skills.
Rated 16 Mar 2012
donquixoticdonquixotic
Rated 22 Jul 2013
20
13th
If you want to know if a film was made by an artist look at the length of scenes devoid of dialogue. Artists focus on the unplayed notes, the blank space, the unspoken line. Complete and utter bollocks. I can't stand things like this, artsy-fartsy clap-trap. Sands and all IRA members were gangsters plane and simple.
Rated 22 Jul 2013
syntheseizurSyntheseizur
Rated 15 Oct 2018
89
91st
A singular look at the human limits of violence, dignity, and will. McQueen digs into the extremes of praxis and ideological dedication to the point of destruction of the body and soul, not only for the prisoners, but for the guards as well, who seem to lose themselves to authoritarian dogma. This is done with a degree of visceral physicality that really challenges the audience to understand the clash between the animal and ideological at play in political resistance, and it's simply brilliant.
Rated 15 Oct 2018
dean_franzDean Franz
Rated 24 Apr 2010
95
93rd
Outstanding, intense experience. Not an easy film to like or even watch, this unrelenting, pitch black exercise in defiance and misery will never leave me though. Disturbing, thought provoking stuff done in a deliberate, slow burning style that never shies away from the copious cruelties at hand. Wrenching and excellent.
Rated 24 Apr 2010
dorkovskyDorkovsky
Rated 21 Apr 2010
9
96th
Not that I think that the dialogue section should have been longer (although I don't think I would've minded), but I wish that they exercised more of the themes that they talked about during their conversation, instead of just bookmarking it with just "things that happened". Great visual flair and Fassbender's performance is remarkable though, making it ultimately quite powerful.
Rated 21 Apr 2010
filmdotfilmdot
Rated 29 Jun 2010
94
91st
Captivating, real, disturbing. Fantastic film.
Rated 29 Jun 2010
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 08 Jan 2014
4
91st
A stream of brutality almost outstays it's welcome before becoming an impressive two-hander, then a strange third act. An angry, memorable swipe at the state's monopoly on violence.
Rated 08 Jan 2014
begoniabolbegoniabol
Rated 17 Aug 2009
89
93rd
What a shocking movie. Brilliantly made, though very violent, brutal and sad. At the end you're just speachless.
Rated 17 Aug 2009
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 21 Oct 2010
35
90th
"McQueen's film is a nuanced masterpiece that never flaunts its artistry, but uses it humbly to serve the all-important story." - Lauren Wissot
Rated 21 Oct 2010
kingcautiKingCauti
Rated 03 Aug 2011
60
46th
The last thirty minutes is extraordinary. The other part of it is good, but... not as engaging as it could've been.
Rated 03 Aug 2011
gnalkhereGnalkhere
Rated 25 Oct 2015
90
91st
A solid effort on all ends. Like a dreary series finale
Rated 25 Oct 2015
myfavchordsmyfavchords
Rated 27 Nov 2023
75
49th
Michael Fassbender gives a really good performance in this film. The film is dark at times and it does have a few slow spots. Overall I would recommend this film.
Rated 27 Nov 2023
cosmicmonkeyCosmicMonkey
Rated 01 Feb 2011
83
77th
I watched this film to learn more about the Irish Troubles, and to be honest, I learnt nothing. Instead, Director Steve McQueen (no, not that one, a different one) presented me with a graphic and emotionally painful meditation on human conviction. Too bad you already have to know a fair bit about the Irish troubles to fully appreciate it: some more background context on Irish Republicanism and the era would've made this film far more captivating than it already was.
Rated 01 Feb 2011
neonmanNeonman
Rated 28 Dec 2013
80
63rd
An interestingly compiled film -- it is often very unreliant on dialogue, until the centrepiece long static shot which is very talky. I think this is a good way to establish the atmosphere and emotions felt (by prisoners and guards) during this turbulent setting, as well as to cover the political aspect of it without feeling like it's just shoe-horned in. An impressive debut from a quickly emerging British film-maker.
Rated 28 Dec 2013
armondwhiteArmondWhite
Rated 24 Dec 2010
1
0th
As prison-movie machismo, Walter Hill's Undisputed is better; as visual art, Jan Troell's Everlasting Moments is superior.
Rated 24 Dec 2010
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 30 Dec 2022
64
26th
Interesting story and very raw and unflinching. So much of it is good, yet I found myself a bit bored at times. There are points where it is aggressively slow, which makes the violent outbursts work better. It feels like it's lacing a bit of cohesion. The first act is just so slow that I think the better second and third acts just couldn't drag me back in fully.
Rated 30 Dec 2022
yiannosYiannos
Rated 23 Oct 2017
73
78th
The Hunger was an auspicious debut from McQueen, a former fine arts practitioner who used his talent for visual imagery to serve the depressing story of the Irish republican hunger strike of the early 1980's. His gritty recreation of the Maze Prison space is striking and memorable: it's a dark bleak facility oozing stench and decay, and the injustices that occur within its walls are suitably distressing. It peters out in the final act which verges too closely to a portrayal of matyrdom.
Rated 23 Oct 2017
icarusIcarus
Rated 24 Apr 2013
81
66th
A great eye for framing and lighting, McQueen's film succeeds at bringing an inventive camera into the cold environment of the prison. The film's centerpiece sequence involves a conversation between two men, one that brings the religious and political complexities to bear for the Sands character. That Sands' great moment comes in a room alone with a priest seems to underline the question implicit in the film: Was the sacrifice worth it? Does protest really matter?
Rated 24 Apr 2013
kavuKavu
Rated 17 Nov 2011
87
89th
Fassbender delivers a superb performance with Bale-esque commitment. Sublime directorial debut for McQueen.
Rated 17 Nov 2011
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 10 Jan 2017
80
71st
Visually explosive though barebones in its development. McQueen's genius was evident from the beginning and he's only gotten better as a storyteller. Sidenote: Went into the single-take scene without any prior knowledge of it and wasn't too absorbed by it (although the accents didn't help).
Rated 10 Jan 2017
mandymandy
Rated 06 Mar 2014
7
73rd
Bleak and powerful. The direction creates a very sensory experience.
Rated 06 Mar 2014
lb94LB94
Rated 28 Jan 2012
88
95th
Absolutely astonishing display of talent in this film, most notably Michael Fassbender whose getting more and more exposure each year but I'd put my money on this being his finest performance for his entire career, to be honest. His physical display is a sight to see and it shows a lot of commitment to the project, much like Christian Bale's horrific transformation for The Machinist four years prior. This guy has serious talent and the exposure he's getting is fully deserved.
Rated 28 Jan 2012
gor41gor41
Rated 25 Feb 2009
95
97th
Faultless masterpiece which blew me away. Film of the year. Harrowing, profoundly moving window on the extremes men will go to for their beliefs. From the breathless opening through the much vaunted central stand off, McQueen never puts a foot wrong and brings a mesmeric pace and artist's eye. I could gush all day ........ you must see it.
Rated 25 Feb 2009
lilarcorLilarcor
Rated 19 Apr 2013
73
44th
A forceful style, however the movie leaves you hungry for something more than just rule-breaking cinematography.
Rated 19 Apr 2013
spanksSpanks
Rated 18 Jan 2012
60
54th
Went in with some pretty high expectations and was let down in a lot of ways. Outside of Fassbender's suicidal performance, the cinematography and this being McQueen's debut, everything else is fairly nonsensical, i.e. the story doesn't add up in the end. We're not even introduced to Sands until 30 minutes into the film, and the characters that are in that beginning 30 minutes are never shown again. Get some better writing, McQueen, and I'll be viewing anything you put out.
Rated 18 Jan 2012
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 26 Jul 2009
68
72nd
Good Movie
Rated 26 Jul 2009
kokoloKokolo
Rated 14 Jul 2010
81
73rd
sf
Rated 14 Jul 2010

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