About 75 years ago, one dedicated Irish man's movement for peace paved the way for a free Irish Republic, independent of British rule. Known as a controversial figure and glossed over or even ignored by many history books, this man's tale finally unfolds in Neil Jordan's true-to-history epic film, "Michael Collins."
Starring Liam Neeson in the title role, the film opens in 1916 with the Easter Uprising, when Irish revolutionaries, including Collins, Eamon De Valera (Alan Rickman) and Harry Boland (Aidan Quinn) surrendered after a six-day standoff against British forces. From the first minutes of the film, the camera sweeps over the remnants of the battle scene, and we are invited to immediately digest the conflict. Best friends Collins and Boland are imprisoned; upon their release, they emerge as the new leaders of the Irish independence movement.
Impassioned and devoted to his cause and aided with information from Ned Broy (Stephen Rea), Collins organizes a secret force - the Irish Volunteers - to wreak havoc on the British army and police on a previously unmarked scale. While Boland and De Valera are in America rousing support, they miss Collins-led attacks on the British, the British Black and Tans' retaliation, and Collins' budding romance with Kitty Kiernan (Julia Roberts), the young woman his best friend left behind.
Collins, who eventually brings Britain to her knees, is sent by De Valera to negotiate a treaty for Ireland's freedom. Upon his return, however, his heightened popularity plummets (the treaty still requires an oath of allegiance to the British crown). Dissatisfied, the people blame Collins, who will continue to stand by his quest for peace - even at the price of his good friends, a brewing civil war and his own tragic downfall.
Clocking in at more than two hours, "Michael Collins" artfully merges both the romantic and political aspirations of Collins. In one intimate scene, the camera lets us watch him and Kitty on a bed in a dark room, with only an outline of a rose between them. We listen intently to their hushed voices, marking the first signs of their love.
In seconds the camera jolts out of their perfect moment, flashing us scenes of shooting, blood and terrified faces. This juxtaposition of both intimate, horrifying and ultimately powerful scenes contributes to the overall balance of the film. Jordan ("The Crying Game") makes sure that Michael Collins is real for us. We do not just see him fighting all the time; instead we also get to see the personal motivations and desires that both humanize him and drive his quest.
Neeson shines bright in his role as Collins. From the first moment, his passion and purpose are glaringly evident, because Neeson makes them believable for his audience. Whether Collins is rallying, fighting, loving, spending time with friends, or confronting conflict and enemies, Neeson manages to pull off all his scenes (and his accent) with grace and ease.
In strong supporting roles, both Quinn (Boland) and Rickman (De Valera) give high-quality performances (despite Quinn's unconvincing accent), as first Collins' friends and then the leaders of the civil war against him. Moreover, both remind the audience of the rifts in the relationships in Collins' life - political with De Valera, and social with Boland. The actors' convincing performances magnify the tension between these once same-side forces.
Roberts' portrayal of Kitty, however, certainly leaves a different taste in viewers' mouths - a bad one. Not only does her accent move through a progression from bad Irish to Southern to no longer identifiable, she puts an over dramatic damper on an otherwise appropriate and emotional ending to the film. Luckily, real footage of Collins' funeral and a nostalgic song by Sinead O'Connor almost allow us to forget Roberts' lacking performance.
In the end, Jordan's long-awaited "Michael Collins" succeeds on multiple levels. Ultimately the film forces us to absorb not just the story of an Irish nationalist and his brutal battles, but also of the complications - both personal and professional - thwarting him and the consequences of his actions. Endearing performances (minus the accents), a fast-moving, uncomplicated script and the cinematography all breathe life into a tale - with all its elements of romance, courage and purpose - that was just waiting to be told.
Liam Neeson (above and left, center), Julia Roberts and Aidan Quinn star in director Neil Jordan's Irish
historical epic "Michael Collins."