CloserLookSeeing as The Troubles in Northern Ireland are just recent history, and many of those who were involved in the conflict are still alive today, it’s important to explore this subject matter in cinema while still so relevant, which is exactly what debut director Nathan Todd’s has done in A Belfast Story. Regrettably, however, a mediocre screenplay and a lack of character development prevents this title from having nearly the same amount of emotional punch as recent productions such as Shadow Dancer had managed, despite exploring similar themes.

Colm Meaney plays our lead, a maverick detective set with the task of tracking down the brutal killers, who are murdering off former IRA members one by one. While the paramilitaries are being targeted, many suspect the worse as they fear a return to the dark days. Partnered with young cop Damien (Damien Hasson), the assured detective is facing a moral battle of his own, as those being killed are former adversaries of his, and were capable of various inhumane acts themselves. Haunted by his own failures, the detective now has the chance to make amends and keep the streets of Belfast safe, desperately hoping not to fall into old habits.

Despite the peace that now exists on the most part in modern Belfast, there’s still a fragility to it all, as while the memories are still rife, the city remains an unpredictable place, and this film presents the Belfast as being just that. However, this suffers from an unbearably cliched script and somewhat cheap production quality. It’s highly unsubtle too, especially in how many characters talk out to loud to themselves, muttering about the narrative to ensure the audience are following along, feeling contrived in the process. Nonetheless, it is intriguing to see this story told through such an unpredictable perspective, as someone you simply can’t second guess. The detective’s allegiances lie in that of the perpetrator, and it gives the film an intensity and edginess as we never quite know whether his heart lies with justice, or revenge.

However the problem with seeing these events from his emotionally and politically biased perspective, is that this film leans too far towards one particular side as a result, conveying a somewhat questionable message, as the revenge taken on the former IRA soldiers is effectively glorified. The characters being killed have blood on their hands and have done some terrible things in their past, and though this does provoke a conflicting response from the viewer, in a similar mould to Dead Man’s Shoes, in that respect, they have since repented for their sins, and vengeful murder is not the answer.

It’s this very notion that truly prevents A Belfast Story from being the important piece of cinema it sets out to be, as it doesn’t feel like a fair and balanced take on a time that remains pertinent and distressing to many people across the United Kingdom. It seems that this potentially captivating premise is one wasted, as this hasn’t got nearly the same amount of poignancy to it that recent Northern Irish picture Good Vibrations has, for example. No excuses for Todd on that one, because the aforementioned title is about punk music.

[Rating:2/5]