Hunger (2008)

90% of critics liked it
(114 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(69,376 ratings)

The final months of Bobby Sands, the Irish Republican Army activist who protested his treatment at the hands of British prison guards with a hunger strike, are chronicled in this historical drama, the first feature film from artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen. Davey Gillen (Brian Milligan) is an… More The final months of Bobby Sands, the Irish Republican Army activist who protested his treatment at the hands of British prison guards with a hunger strike, are chronicled in this historical drama, the first feature film from artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen. Davey Gillen (Brian Milligan) is an IRA volunteer who is sentenced to Belfast's infamous Maze prison, where he shares a cell with fellow IRA member Gerry Campbell (Liam McMahon). Like most of the IRA volunteers behind bars, Gillen and Campbell are subjected to frequent violence by the guards, who in turn live with the constant threat of assassination at the hands of Republicans during their off-hours. Campbell and Gillen are taking part in a protest in which they and their fellow IRA inmates are refusing to wear standard prison-issue uniforms as a protest against Britain's refusal to recognize them as political prisoners, a move that is complicating their efforts to pass information among the other prisoners. As the protest fails to get results, one IRA member behind bars, Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), decides to take a different tack and begins a hunger strike, refusing to eat until Irish officials are willing to acknowledge the IRA as a legitimate political organization. However, while Sands' protest gains the attention both inside prison walls and in the international news, not everyone believes what he's doing is right, and Sands finds himself verbally sparring with a priest (Liam Cunningham) who questions the ethics and effectiveness of the strike. Hunger received its world premiere at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened as part of the Un Certain Regard program. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Steve McQueen (III)
Written By: Enda Walsh, Steve McQueen (III)
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Special Interest

In Theaters: Mar 20, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Feb 16, 2010
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Midway through the movie there's an epic 24-minute scene...in the claustrophobic cell block the protesters have already internalized their cause so deeply that the world of words seems distant and inconsequential.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
It's a strength of this carefully composed, almost obsessively controlled picture that it has no interest in the conventional biographical focus on a subject.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Hunger is daunting and powerful work.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Hunger is not about the rights and wrongs of the British in Northern Ireland, but about inhumane prison conditions, the steeled determination of IRA members like Bobby Sands, and a rock and a hard place.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Hunger -- the disturbing, provocative, brilliant feature debut from British director Steve McQueen -- does for modern film what Caravaggio did to Renaissance painting.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Relying on images more than words, it's a plea for humanity in times of insanity.
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm
...simultaneously harsh and gentle; an early shot of a tiny snowflake melting on bloodied knuckles could serve as the movie's logo.
Ben Rawson-Jones, Digital Spy
Hunger will leave you feeling emotionally battered and bruised -- yet emerging from the cinema a stronger person for having witnessed such a beautiful and brutal film.
Garth Franklin, Dark Horizons
Not just the toughest film of the year but amongst the toughest ever made.
Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine
Hunger is tough going -- and compelling cinema throughout.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
Politically, Bobby Sands' suicide meant nothing, but it illustrated poisonous lengths to which someone would go in protecting the only reality he ever knew. This is terrorism's pox, and why the Troubles - though stabilized - still bear the scars of shame.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
As pretentious as it is engrossing...
Christopher Long, Movie Metropolis
Director Steve McQueen delivers one the more memorable debut features of the last several years.
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
a film of great visceral directness and emotional power
Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies
A poetic, almost abstract take on very real, tangible material -- a fitting artistic approach to a surreal, extreme experience most human beings will not have on their own.
Travis Crawford, Slant Magazine
Mercifully devoid of stirring speeches and a sweeping music score, Hunger is as different from standard political biopic as can be imagined.
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
... a study in the deterioration of the human body... and the will it takes to endure such self-mortification in the name of cause.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[A] hard, harsh film, a triumph of the new realism that is transforming British film at the moment...
Kam Williams, Sly Fox
A fitting, posthumous tribute to a martyr who freely sacrificed his own life to highlight the horror of man's inhumanity to his fellow man.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Spurious transcendence and underlined symbolism

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

Director, Steve McQueen crafts an astonishing and disturbing directional debut. A superb and brutal cinematic statement that is a must see. A no-holds barred drama on abuse that shakes you and pulls no punches. It`s a gritty, real, intense, mature and powerful work of art. A… More
Director, Steve McQueen crafts an astonishing and disturbing directional debut. A superb and brutal cinematic statement that is a must see. A no-holds barred drama on abuse that shakes you and pulls no punches. It`s a gritty, real, intense, mature and powerful work of art. A masterpeice. A jaw-dropping and utterly haunting movie that hits you like you wouldnt believe. A shocking and also beautiful piece of film. An emotionally devestating and gut-wrenching experiance. Michael Fassbender gives an extroadinary performance, its a breakthrough for him. A real deal tour de force performance that is truly unforgettable. Fassbender embodies that characters heart and mind as well as the pyhsical tormant. Liam Cunningham is brilliant. A triumph for both the director (McQueen) and star (Fassbender), who i believe will have a promising future. It`s one of the most intense and eye-opening films i have ever seen.
Carlos M

Steve McQueen's debut is gripping and intense, and he displays a lot of control for a first film, creating some amazing long shots. A disturbing story showing all the horrific impact of a hunger strike, though I don't like how the plot is suddenly deviated from Davey Gillen… More
Steve McQueen's debut is gripping and intense, and he displays a lot of control for a first film, creating some amazing long shots. A disturbing story showing all the horrific impact of a hunger strike, though I don't like how the plot is suddenly deviated from Davey Gillen to Bobby Sands.
paul o

An explosive piece of cinema, Director Steve Mcqueen brings out the rawness of Michael Fassbender. Truly something beautiful and committing for the cast of the film
Emily A

I really don't see what all the fuss was about. Most people call it intense, but a brutal film can only be intense if we first care about the people in the pressure cooker. And I for one don't. I found this movie really indulgent, spending tons of time showing… More
I really don't see what all the fuss was about. Most people call it intense, but a brutal film can only be intense if we first care about the people in the pressure cooker. And I for one don't. I found this movie really indulgent, spending tons of time showing inconsequential things for vast stretches of time and very seldom actually allowing you to connect with any of the characters. It was half an hour before we even see Bobby or hear his voice. Why do we need to see five minutes of a guard brushing waste down a hallway? Why are we spending so much time watching these nameless Irish guys wallow in filth? Why do we care about them? The only scene worth watching is the twenty-five minutes Bobby spends speaking to the parish priest he's known all his life. That's the only time we get to really see him or connect with him. The scene itself is very powerful and raw, but if it weren't in the film at all, all this would be is be sad footage of obstinate, brutalized prisoners, one in particular, that lead a miserable existence before they wither away and die. This is a borderline torture porn snuff film. I really have no problem with that for the most part, as long as what I'm watching allows me to relate or sympathize with the characters suffering. Looking back, I can't think of a single reason to recommend this movie to anyone else. Watch the suffering of a bunch of people you don't care about! Does that fill you with the desire to run out and rent this?
Reid V

A powerful and stirring debut film. An exquisite exercise in atmosphere. Fassbender's dedication is stunning. While I would have liked to know more about what made Bobby Sands do the things that he did rather than just seeing his final days, I cannot fault the film too much.… More
A powerful and stirring debut film. An exquisite exercise in atmosphere. Fassbender's dedication is stunning. While I would have liked to know more about what made Bobby Sands do the things that he did rather than just seeing his final days, I cannot fault the film too much. I'm excited to see where McQueen goes from here. I have a feeling he will become a very heavy hitter.
Jan Marc M

Hunger is a vivid and brilliant archetype of determination with a political purpose, chronicling the life of Bobby Sands, "leader of the 1981 hunger strike in which Irish republican prisoners protested against the removal of Special Category Status." Significant and… More
Hunger is a vivid and brilliant archetype of determination with a political purpose, chronicling the life of Bobby Sands, "leader of the 1981 hunger strike in which Irish republican prisoners protested against the removal of Special Category Status." Significant and motivated, Hunger is a self-inflicted brutal proposal of the uncompromising human spirit underlined by a brilliant performance by Michael Fassbender.
Steven C

"Hunger" is a stunning achievement. What makes Steve McQueen's film so immediate is the way he delivers this powerful story (based on true events but is in no way a biography). McQueen reminds the viewer that 'battles' can be beautiful for what they symbolize,… More
"Hunger" is a stunning achievement. What makes Steve McQueen's film so immediate is the way he delivers this powerful story (based on true events but is in no way a biography). McQueen reminds the viewer that 'battles' can be beautiful for what they symbolize, therefore the ugliest of images can still have an aesthetic resonance. I also appreciated that the film keeps an emotional distance from the characters. This cold approach is exactly correct because neither the government nor the inmates are acting in acceptable ways. It's in that no-answer dynamic where the films moral quandary lays- and where it's most important questions are asked by the viewer. Michael Fassbender is incredible here, as well as the rest of the cast. There is very little dialogue in this film (expect for the centerpiece debate between Bobby Sands and the priest- which is as wordy and complex as the films wordless and powerful beginning and ending). The images speak volumes and McQueen knows exactly how to deliver them- and keeps them in your brain. "Hunger" is an outstanding film about humanity and it's many sides.
Michael S

A fierce cinematic statement that pulls no punches. HUNGER is one of the great film debuts, telling a brutal human story with honesty and intensity while keeping an open and level-headed view about potentially touchy subject matter. Fassbender gives an astounding career best, highly… More
A fierce cinematic statement that pulls no punches. HUNGER is one of the great film debuts, telling a brutal human story with honesty and intensity while keeping an open and level-headed view about potentially touchy subject matter. Fassbender gives an astounding career best, highly physical performance. Everything about this one is stellar. A must-see.
Cassandra M

#15: Hunger Video artist Steve McQueen?s first movie, the tale of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, was far more powerful than anyone had expected. With its unflinching portrayal of the squalid conditions in the Maze prison, Hunger is not an easy watch, but Michael Fassbender?s… More
#15: Hunger Video artist Steve McQueen?s first movie, the tale of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, was far more powerful than anyone had expected. With its unflinching portrayal of the squalid conditions in the Maze prison, Hunger is not an easy watch, but Michael Fassbender?s ferociously committed performance deserves a wider audience. Best bit: The conversation between Sands and a priest, filmed in an astonishing, unbroken 17 minute take. The movie is a timely piece of film-making in this era of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. I have to admit my prejudice for the film because of my past as one of the prisoners depicted in the film. Long Kesh - or the Maze as the British infamously renamed it - was the Abu Ghraib of its day. One stark difference though: unlike Abu Ghraib, no one has ever been charged with the horror and relentless torture inflicted upon naked, defenceless prisoners in Long Kesh. The film is uncompromising in its examination of the events leading up to and beyond the Hunger Strike. Michael Fassbender is frighteningly real. But I will leave it up to the words of Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian to sum it up: 'Hunger is raw, powerful film-making and an urgent reminder of this uniquely ugly, tragic and dysfunctional period in British and Irish history...'
Jameson W

Great! This is an extremely difficult film to watch. It's so realistic to how the prisoners were probably treated. The brutality of the beatings almost makes you want to turn your head, but the scenes are so artfully portrayed that the audience is still taken in! The… More
Great! This is an extremely difficult film to watch. It's so realistic to how the prisoners were probably treated. The brutality of the beatings almost makes you want to turn your head, but the scenes are so artfully portrayed that the audience is still taken in! The cinematography also influences the realism of this film. The scenery and appearance of the film is brilliant. I also love the tone of this film; it's so dark, tragic, and real. Also the performances are great all around, especially Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands. The thing that really holds this film back is the lack of emotion. To me, most of the film was flat emotion wise. The story and tone were both deep and very strong, but when there's no emotion, the whole film cannot soar. It's sad that the characters weren't developed more because this film could have been monumental, but instead it's only great. However there are one scene that I absolutely loved. The scene with prisoners being beaten on one side of the screen and a guard crying on the other side, is a brilliant shot. A beautiful scene. Had this film been as emotional and touching as that scene, this film could have been something special! I still think this is a movie everyone should check out. It's very good! I recommend it to everyone!
familiar s

Really tragic, I feel very sorry. No, not for Bobby Sands, but for myself for suffering the torture of this tedious 90-something minutes movie. The movie moved so slow that I literally had to push it (by fast-forwarding) to go ahead!!! I'm one of those dumb-heads who neither… More
Really tragic, I feel very sorry. No, not for Bobby Sands, but for myself for suffering the torture of this tedious 90-something minutes movie. The movie moved so slow that I literally had to push it (by fast-forwarding) to go ahead!!! I'm one of those dumb-heads who neither appreciates nor feels any uneasiness or any such effect, except boredom, by the long silence between the scenes, and the camera concentrating on one single face for long to create some extra-ordinary effect. If you're an intellectual, you might want to give it a go; there are even chances that you'll very much like it.
Lady D

So realistic it almost stands still in pace at times and whilst it's first half does move along at a slow rate, it's certainly worth bearing with for the what's to come in the second half. Fantastic acting, a true gritty prison Drama, based on the true story of the… More
So realistic it almost stands still in pace at times and whilst it's first half does move along at a slow rate, it's certainly worth bearing with for the what's to come in the second half. Fantastic acting, a true gritty prison Drama, based on the true story of the prisoners on hunger strike in the 80's . The end result is a big reminder of a character in another well known film in terms of appearance, but will let you work that one out yourselves.
Dan S

An engrossing, searing true story based on Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), a prisoner in 1980's Ireland who demanded he and his IRA inmates be given special status (as political prisoners - not criminals), and until they were he decided to go on hunger strike. This movie would… More
An engrossing, searing true story based on Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), a prisoner in 1980's Ireland who demanded he and his IRA inmates be given special status (as political prisoners - not criminals), and until they were he decided to go on hunger strike. This movie would be nothing if not for Michael Fassbender's moving, hypnotizing performance as Sands, as his convicting turn proves to be the driving force behind this mostly remarkable film. Fassbender's appearance is downright terrifying, and his dedication to this role and to this movie's message are ultimately what makes this film so mesmerizing (the shape his body is in for this movie is even more shocking than Christian Bale's in "The Machinist" - something I didn't think could ever be toppled). While some argue this story is a bit pretentious (and there are some shots that could definitely be cut), this film is absolutely astounding in virtually every aspect. How it didn't get nominated for Best Picture and Fassbender for Best Actor is beyond me - it's a great achievement that will leave one floored, particularly at its haunting, distressing conclusion.
Jake .

Well, here's a film that has truly left me speechless. First, because the film really is incredibly. Second, I watched it a couple weeks ago and am struggling to think of what seemed important when watching it. Hunger is definitely an 'art' film, and I think that it… More
Well, here's a film that has truly left me speechless. First, because the film really is incredibly. Second, I watched it a couple weeks ago and am struggling to think of what seemed important when watching it. Hunger is definitely an 'art' film, and I think that it really the main things that causes the film to be so affecting and noteworthy. Like everybody else has already said it is an disturbing film of incredible beauty. The only thing that kept this movie from being absolutely perfect in my mind is that Hunger really is a bit busy. I cannot totally figure out why the whole documentary/historical elements are thrown in. I guess, I just think that everybody would know the general context of the film before watching it. The scenes that seem to exist for the purpose of explainng the situation are the only weak moments in the entire film. Damn, the rest is amazing, though. Like Tom Ford's A Single Man the film can almost be split into a serious of single shots, each incredibly affecting pieces of beauty of brutality. McQueen is able to use image, sound, etc to get the viewers attention, grasp their emotions, convey his meaning. He does not need dialog or a 'plot', really. I just felt that Hunger is artistry to the very greatest degree. A wonderful, wonderful film that while not completely perfect, should not be ignored.
Lanning :

This is an absolutely brutal biopic about an actual hunger strike in 1981 by IRA prisoners in the Maze Prison. This is definitely not the kind of movie you would want watch for entertainment purposes. The harsh realism delivered through very fine acting from all players is so wholly… More
This is an absolutely brutal biopic about an actual hunger strike in 1981 by IRA prisoners in the Maze Prison. This is definitely not the kind of movie you would want watch for entertainment purposes. The harsh realism delivered through very fine acting from all players is so wholly disconcerting that you may not even be able to finish the film. Michael Fassbender gives a tour de force performance, but all the actors are excellent. When you see something like this, knowing especially that it's based on a true story, you really have to wonder about how cruel human beings can be to other human beings. It is a question that is nearly impossible to fathom.
Kalel J

A strong, daring, and dedicated projection of a simple story, Hunger is a film that takes risks in everything that it chooses. Its structure is fresh, its aesthetics grimy, its photography delicious, and its performances unflinching in their honesty. This is a forceful film taking… More
A strong, daring, and dedicated projection of a simple story, Hunger is a film that takes risks in everything that it chooses. Its structure is fresh, its aesthetics grimy, its photography delicious, and its performances unflinching in their honesty. This is a forceful film taking assault on the senses and a battering towards empathy. Steve McQueen has constructed one of the most memorable film debuts in a decade of new faces, giving one of the most photographically sound and atmospherically real experience in recent years. His use of silence is captivating - forcing its audience into the visuals, and forcing us to truly absorb the atmosphere and essence of this hell. It's a film that has the kind of impact to embed its visuals into the viewer, while digging its humanity into your soul.
Randy T

Intense docudrama from visual artist turned director Steve McQueen (no, not THAT Steve McQueen). An observation of British run Maze Prison, presented with an economy of dialogue that proves to be VERY effective.
danny d

devastating. could be one of the best films ever made, but only time will tell. to think this is mcqueens first film, how does he follow this? shot so well and with such realism, the film has almost no dialogue except for an expertly crafted 17 minute long shot in the middle of the… More
devastating. could be one of the best films ever made, but only time will tell. to think this is mcqueens first film, how does he follow this? shot so well and with such realism, the film has almost no dialogue except for an expertly crafted 17 minute long shot in the middle of the film where bobby sands is consulting with his priest. a simply astounding scene that glues the start and end of the film together perfectly. the film is unflinchingly fair, sympathizing with both sides in a sense by never really sympathizing with either. one of those films that shakes the soul a bit and inspires a rethinking of what small films like this can accomplish.
Aaron N

Bobby Sands: It's done. It won't be stopped. Father Moran: Then fuck it! Life must mean nothing to you. Bobby Sands: God's gonna punish me. Father Moran: Well, if not just for the suicide, then he'd have to punish you for your stupidity. Bobby Sands: Aye. Father… More
Bobby Sands: It's done. It won't be stopped. Father Moran: Then fuck it! Life must mean nothing to you. Bobby Sands: God's gonna punish me. Father Moran: Well, if not just for the suicide, then he'd have to punish you for your stupidity. Bobby Sands: Aye. Father Moran: And you for your arrogance. Bobby Sands: Because my life is a real life, not some theological exercise, some religious trick that's got to fuck all to do with living. Jesus Christ had a backbone, but see them disciples, any disciple since? You're just jumping in and out of the rhetoric and dead-end semantics. You need the revolutionaries. You need the cultural and political soldier to give life a pulse... to give life a direction. Father Moran: This is stupid talk. You're deluded. Bobby Sands: Aye. So you say. An uncomfortable, uncompromising, and very well made dramatization of real life events surrounding the hunger strike in Maze Prison in Northern Ireland, in 1981. The film defies standard plot conventions to get you into this film and suffer with the prisoners as they struggle through hell for there causes. Well directed, with a standout performance from Michael Fassbender. As stated, Hunger follows life in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland with an interpretation of the highly emotive events surrounding the 1981 IRA Hunger Strike, led by Bobby Sands. The film doesn't attempt to really preach why one side is right, despite a lengthy single shot conversation between Sands and a priest over the purpose of the protest, instead keeping focus on the lengths and emotions involved to be put in this position. There is quite a brutal feel to this film, although it is expertly shot and put together. I am certainly not about to watch this entire film again, although the very long single shot is certainly one that I could admire again if I caught it at some point. This should never reflect poorly on a film though, as it is expertly handled.
Conner R

It's an important movie and it is beautifully shot, but it just isn't as ambitious as it makes itself out to be. It isn't all that emotionally gripping like I believe it was intended to be. The prison conditions aren't exactly as horrific as other films have shown… More
It's an important movie and it is beautifully shot, but it just isn't as ambitious as it makes itself out to be. It isn't all that emotionally gripping like I believe it was intended to be. The prison conditions aren't exactly as horrific as other films have shown and it would have been quite easy to do so. I think the main point was to tell the story of Bobby Sands and his hunger strike, but I really would have liked a better script and sense of purpose (as a film).