Peterloo (2018) Reviews

• The 1819 Tiananmen Square

  keithmmartin-160912018-11-06

  This is the first review I've ever done, but was moved to do so by some reviews that I have read on here since watching the film. So apologies to you experts, but here's my tuppenceworth. On the down side, a bit overlong, could have been a bit less wordy and faster paced. But, I left the cinema with the same feeling that I did in the early 70s after seeing Soldier Blue: stunned by the brutality of "the authorities" over the disenfranchised. Forensic in its drama/documentry approach and absolutely true to events (I have since checked various historical sources). This is what happens when people feel they lack a voice and does resonate with today's UK. I thought the lighting was superb and the epic, grand scale setting rare in a UK film. A must watch for teenagers who will not have heard of this event in history at school.

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• Slow historical drama. A play within a film

  alisonchristineacc2018-11-08

  A slow work up to the massacre. Incredible massacre scene. Would have like more on the aftermath as the film ended abruptly. Overlong I thought.

• Protest at St Peter's

  paultapner2018-11-02

  The Peterloo massacre of 1819 is not a piece of history that is as well known as it should be. So director Mike Leigh sets out here to do a movie that will educate people on the subject. The story of how a peaceful protest for the rights of the people was brutally suppressed when the authorities, who were terrified of the prospect of Britain having a revolution just like France had, overracted. In the days when the story took place, not all men could vote. No women could. There were food shortages. The corn laws were causing problems. And people laboured for long long shifts in the mills for a pittance in wages. This was a long time before workplace health and safety as well, although it doesn't actually touch on that as much as you might have expected. Manchester didn't have a police force. Or an MP. King George the third was unwell. And the prince regent was regularly embarrassing himself. People could be sent to Australia for what we would now call a petty crime. Or hung. There were those who wanted change, and they were called reformers. It was the efforts of some to get change that led to the meeting being arranged in the first place. It's a long film, this, but that's because it takes it's time in explaining all of this. And since the director's aim was to educate and fill in knowledge gaps around this, that's fine. It is quite clever how it gets in details of the corn laws and habeas corpus. And let's be honest, if you asked a random sampling of people these days what the latter is, you might not find many who know. It shows the magistrates and politicans, who are terrified of change. It shows the Prince Regent. In a very accurate depiction. And the ordinary working class folk. It's grim up north might be a stereotype, so it doesn't hurt to be remind what was fact at the time. There's a lot of speakers. And speech making. And a fair few characters, who do drift in and out. But steadily, you get used to them. And the whole thing builds a momentum, so when it gets to the point where the protest is beginning, it becomes a hard watch as you know what is going to happen. None of which will prepare for you the actual massacre, a superbly directed scene that will stay with you for a while. It ends as best it can after, and the last scene was probably the right way to do such. The great thing about this is that it does make you think. About rights and things that we do tend to take for granted these days. it will make you want to learn more as well. I was straight onto Wikipedia after to find out more about Henry Hunt. But it's not hard to follow. So long as you're prepared to use your brain and concentrate. So if you are prepared to give this a chance, you will be well rewarded.

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• A worthy film that is both too long and too short.

  philbigshop2018-11-08

  This is a long film. This can be forgiven for a film that has both historical significance and contemporary relevance. However, for this film the balance of the story is wrong: there is too much time on the context of the massacre, and not enough time on afterwards. What would I cut - some of the musical preparations. The audience does not need to see so much music practice on the moors. What would I add: more funerals, perhaps a sequence where they blend into each other, scenes showing what little effect the massacre had. In terms of acting and production values there is little to criticise, though some of the distant backdrops could be spotted. My overall feeling is that the story needs telling, but that this rendition risks losing a significant part of its audience, and thus the message.

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• Educational, powerful, beautiful!

  phitek-112482018-11-06

  If I have a criticism of this film, it would be that it's half an hour too long. Mike can be a bit self indulgent, there where a few scenes that were just there for colour. Technically accomplished, well acted, and faithfully accurate to the history. If you like social history you will not be disappointed.