The Good

Ken Loach makes films that show just how big and varied his heart is.

The Bad

I wish that Cillian Murphy had been more involved with the bonus features on this DVD.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley gives us a historical look at a problem that still faces the world: the English being an occupying force in Ireland. (I am not taking a side, I am merely stating what the Irish see as the problem. I am also not Irish so don't this review is slanted in that way.) Beginning in the 1920s we see Teddy (Padriac Delaney) fighting with the Irish resistance against the British. His brother Damian (Cillian Murphy) has his sites set on becoming a doctor. Soon he realizes that his place is by his brother so he joins up ranks with him. They battle successfully together and eventually force the British to not only recognize them but to offer up a truce. The truce is accepted but at the same time it isn't and soon Damian finds himself fighting against his brother Teddy in this very well made film.

I have heard about Ken Loach for some time now. Sadly, until I saw The Wind That Shakes the Barley, I hadn't ever seen any of his movies. I didn't know what to expect when I put this film in my player but it was really well done. Filled with strong performances and a sense of richly entwined politics, The Wind That Shakes the Barley manages to grab viewers into its story in a way that isn't preachy.

Features

Carry On Ken: A Look At the Work of Director Ken Loach

We open with Ken Loach making fun of all those filmmakers (and there's a lot) who put the "A Film By (Insert Name Here)" on the credits for their movies. He talks about there being too many people involved for one person to take all the credit. After this we hear from people like Brian Cox, Robert Carlyle and others as they talk about the effect that this man has had, not only on Irish cinema, but with the world cinema at large. Apparently Loach is very low key on his movie sets and he doesn't act like a man who has made so many important films. Brian Cox mentions how Loach purposely "rubs the pile the wrong way" and overall I found this to be a rich look at this filmmaker.

Feature Commentary with Director Ken Loach and Historical Professor Donal O'Driscoll

Video

Widescreen Version. Presented to preserve the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition. Enhanced for widescreen TVs. Sometimes there are historical films that look like they were made on a budget. Then there are historical films that are made on a budget, yet they look so rich, tell such a deep and meaningful story that we would never be able to notice or care. I feel that this movie falls into the latter category. There was a richness to each frame in terms of how the set was dressed, but the colors weren't bright and they were muted just enough to not take us out of the time period in question.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitled in English and Spanish. I watched this movie with the subtitles on not because the audio was bad because almost any time I am watching a movie with accents I like to do that. I would much rather have to read a whole movie than have it interpreted or dubbed. I want to see The Wind That Shakes the Barley the way Ken Loach wants me to see it. The audio was rich and full sounding but not in a way that slowed this movie down.

Package

Cillian Murphy sits on this front cover holding a rifle with the green fields of Ireland behind him. The back cover shows some scenes from this movie (mainly battle scenes), it offers up a description of this film, a Special Features listing, a credits list and some technical specs.

Final Word

Based on the one sheet that this movie employed (it's the same one that I discussed when talking about the packaging) I imagined it that it was some adventure movie taking place in the amazon. As such, I didn't have any desire to see it and as you've probably guessed this is something that I feel was a mistake. While I won't say that The Wind That Shakes the Barley is the best film I have ever seen, there was a strength to it that seemed to come from the core of director Ken Loach. While I don't think that this is a violent movie or that it advocates violence, it seems to show the problems that arise when one groups intolerance (or ignorance) of another group is allowed to go unabated. Sadly, it looks like the problems that the characters in this film have are still a problem in Ireland today.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a movie that will have you thinking while at the same time providing you with a great deal of entertainment.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley was released March 23, 2006.