Film Journal #210 - Steve McQueen’s “Hunger” (2008)
The debut film from British writer/director/visual artist Steve McQueen is a work of poetic beauty set in the most extreme of environments. Based on the hunger strike of Irish national Bobby Sands in 1981, “Hunger” delves into the texture, feel and smells of its setting before focusing upon its protagonist. When the film finally does settle on Sands, played brilliantly by Michael Fassbender, McQueen finds a way to balance Sands’ strong conviction with the extremity of his action. Remarkably, the greatness of “Hunger” comes from McQueen’s ability to find the tragic beauty within each and every frame. Read this Criterion essay by critic Chris Drake.
