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Michael Collins on DVD (1996)

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Average rating: (73%)
1111211132048
3.5
 
Starring: Aidan Quinn | Stephen Rea | Alan Rickman | Julia Roberts | Liam Neeson
Director: Neil Jordan
Studio: WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time: 127 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: great political films | Films that Dont require a thousand explosions
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Subtitles: Arabic, English
Released: 25/09/1998
Also Available on: Also Available on: DIGITAL

Brief synopsis of Michael Collins

Starting with Ireland's bloody Easter Rebellion of 1916 and ending with his untimely death, this brilliantly photographed epic from director Neil Jordan tells the charged story of Michael "Mickey" Collins. An IRA founder whose innovative guerrilla tactics succeeded in bringing freedom from British rule, Collins remains a controversial but much respected political figure, who is skillfully embodied in the film by Liam Neeson. Aidan Quinn plays his longtime friend Harry, and Julia Roberts, sporting a nice brogue and lovely period costumes, is Katie, the woman they both love.
Jordan staged most of the battles, riots, ceremonies, and speeches at their actual locations in Ireland with a cast of thousands and a great eye for period detail. The result is a film that is both historically evocative and stunningly beautiful thanks to the breathtaking cinematography of Chris Menges. The film is also surprisingly nonjudgmental in its depiction of Collins's appalling but inarguably successful methods of "bloody mayhem." Stephen Rea and Alan Rickman costar, with Elliot Goldenthal contributing a rich Oscar-nominated score.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

This is Neil Jordan's screen biography about the founder of the IRA, an intellectual who virtually invented urban terrorism and bombed his way to talks in Downing Street before being assassinated by his own side in 1922. The movie begins with an impressively filmed Easter uprising, in which Jordan appears to demolish Dublin, yet there's also an even-handedness when it comes to depicting and simplifying the political struggle for Irish independence. As Collins, Liam Neeson fills a room with his charm and menace, while Alan Rickman is superbly cast as Eamon De Valera, a fanatic in pebble glasses. Julia Roberts, however, looks wispy and hopelessly lost, the victim of a crass casting decision made in the hope of boosting the box office.

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Effective and dramatic political drama that simplifies the facts and has at its centre a glaring gap Ð Collins's negotiations with the British Ð into which the narrative unfortunately collapses.

Variety

"...Intelligent, enormously accomplished....Menges' images are seriously artful yet tremendously vital, and it is great to see a master doing what he does best..."

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsA grand historical!

David T from New Forest, Hampshire , 26/07/2004

Set in the early 1900s it is a gritty historical which depicts the eventual formation of the IRA that was born from an nation's struggle for identity against British authority. An underlying political intrigue forms a backdrop for the key characters of the movie. A high calibre cast is lead by Liam Neason who plays the central character Michael Collins with energy and total conviction, and also includes a penetrating performance by the most excellent Alan Rickman. The plot draws you in and the support actors are all most accomplished. I found the film fascinating and engaged me throughout. It illuminated an aspect of history that is not often understood or explained. Well worth seeing, to be sure!

  9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsMichael Collins

philjb from Worcs , 02/03/2005

This film can be watched as an enthralling drama particularly for those having little prior knowledge of the events portrayed or as a recreated piece of history focussing on one of a number of players involved in a significant piece of history.

The script, sets and acting cannot be faulted with all the leading actors giving award-winning performances and making their characters very believable.

On the historical side, Collins comes over as a nice guy who 'did what he had to do' but I doubt if he was that pleasant. We shall never know as he died before he could fulfil his destiny. As with most dramas about the past in Ireland, the British do not come out well and de Valera did not add to his fan club.

It is impossible to divorce a film of the relatively recent past from present day politics and I suspect director Neil Jordan's political sympathies may have influenced the way some events are shown in the film. I was a little worried about his fictionalising of some events that may have added to the drama but did little to service historical truth.

Overall though this was a very enjoyable film and deservedly makes Collins known to the world outside Ireland. The additional material on DVD was useful especially Melvyn Bragg's South Bank Show in helping to understanding the context.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 stars

Tina#46 from LONDON , 08/11/2004

Liam Neeson is brilliant, this movie captures the struggle for independence and the subsequent civil war beautifully....one to watch over again

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsBrilliant dramatisation of the life of Michael Collins

Stephen Whitehead from Sticklepath, Devon , 20/01/2006

This is one the landmarks in film history: well researched, dramatised and acted, with very few liberties taken. It quite faithfully records Michael Collins' life throughout the Irish Revolution, and subsequent civil war; alongside the senseless persecution of Ireland by the British Establishment.

Liam Neeson's portrail of Collins is not only professional-as always-but also sensitive and passionate. The viewer begins to understand Collins the man, along with his dreams of an independent Ireland.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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