This review was made possible by an advance screening of Blitz. Blitz releases in theaters on November 1, 2024. It will be available on Apple TV+ beginning November 22, 2024.
Steve McQueen is known for bringing truth to his films; he did so first with his feature-directional debut Hunger, which took us back to the 1981 Irish hunger strike, and then did it again with 12 Years A Slave, which took us further back to 1841 to tell us a biographical story about Solomon Northup. McQueen also created an anthology series that consisted of five films, some of them taking from real events and some others just being fictional stories that are inspired by certain ways we used to live. There is always one thing that people will gain when walking out of a cinema after watching a Steve McQueen; you’re expected to leave with some knowledge, and he succeeds with his latest film, Blitz.
Blitz is set during the German Blitzkrieg of London and tells us a fictional story set during September 1940 about a young nine-year-old boy named George (Elliott Heffernan) who gets sent off to the countryside to be away from the bombings but escapes on the train journey and begins on an adventure back to London to reunite with his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan).
There have been many films that are set during World War Two and even many documentaries that cover that time period, with Steve McQueen himself having released a documentary last year called Occupied City, which was about Amsterdam under Nazi occupation during World War Two. It seems to be a time period that fascinated McQueen, as he spent time in Iraq during 2003 as a war artist and was surrounded by so many people from various places.
He also knew this was the right story to tell from when he was researching Small Axe and saw a boy who now resembles George. Blitz sets itself apart from many films that take place during WWII; not only is it giving light on the Blitz, which we don’t hear too much about in films and shows, it’s showing this from the perspective of a child, something I dare say we have never gotten before, especially from the perspective of a kid who’s mixed race.
While George is the main focus of the film, it also focuses on his mother, Rita. A mother who wants what’s best for her son and sends him off in hope that he won’t be in any danger, but there are many factors that Rita might not have considered. With George being mixed race, he faces discrimination from people he even considers friends. They hurl slurs at him and look at him differently, despite him being exactly the same as them. On the train ride to the countryside, even children he’s never met before bully him purely based on his appearance. It’s moments like this that lead George to denounce his heritage.
“I’m not black,” he says while talking to Nigerian Air Ward Ife (Benjamin Clementine), a character based on a real person who is proud of his heritage despite the discrimination he faces. This is a beautiful scene where George witnesses Ife resolving a conflict involving someone else being mistreated because of their skin color. It’s a transformative moment for George, enabling him to be proud of who he is. Steve McQueen has written George as a determined and independent child, yet one who is still easily influenced. This complexity in George’s character is elevated by Elliott Heffernan’s performance, and in his debut role, he does more than a fantastic job portraying George. Performing 99% of his own stunts, Elliott brings an element that’s often missing from war films.
Saoirse Ronan beautifully plays Rita, drawing on everything she’s learned from previous roles and the women in her life to portray a mother who doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold. Steve McQueen highlights the importance of women during the Blitz, as we see Rita working in a munitions factory—a vital part of the war effort. Without women like Rita or her friends Agnes (Sally Messham), Tilda (Hayley Squires), and Doris (Erin Kellyman), the war effort would have faltered. With Blitz, Steve McQueen brings attention to these untold stories, ensuring that his viewers leave having learned something new while feeling entertained at the same time.
This is war; it’s tragic, and there’s not much time to ever breathe. That’s just the harsh reality of it, and Steve McQueen confirmed that during today’s press conference at the London Film Festival. However, he still ensures we get small moments to relax a little. Whether through flashbacks where we see Rita dancing with the love of her life and George’s father, Marcus (CJ Beckford), or spending time with her own father, Gerald (Paul Weller), and her son, learning how to play the piano. It’s moments like these that show how good life once was before the Blitz.
We have to remember that George is only a kid, and it’s unimaginable to understand how a child handles war. Even now, in Palestine, we see children suffering and living lives that no child should have to endure. Elliott Heffernan reminds us through his performance that, although there’s tragedy all around, George is still a child at heart. If he sees a small pebble on the ground, he’s going to kick it around and find a moment of fun before the day inevitably worsens.
Steve McQueen returns with another well-crafted film in Blitz, a truly cinematic experience that showcases a side of this period often overlooked. It shines a light on the women who played a crucial role in Britain’s victory and thoughtfully addresses racial commentary, handled gracefully by its performers, Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliott Heffernan. Heffernan, in particular, is a young actor who exemplifies the future we are fighting for today. Blitz is a film that will easily move its audience to tears, especially with its bittersweet ending.
