2018
·154m
Peterloo
Summary
An epic portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history. The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reforms and protest against rising levels of poverty.
Reviews
narrator56
April 5, 2020
Fine historical film, though it has less emotional depth than other Mike Leigh movies. That makes sense, for his movies have never been described as an epic before.
I often state when I write reviews that I am patient than many viewers when it comes to slower paced movies. Also, since I write novels in my spare time and feature plenty of dialogue, I don't mind a lot of talking in movies either. I think this movie lacked some of the emotional impact of other Mike Leigh films, perhaps due its scope. You know how it is; people can shrug off a disaster elsewhere in the world when it kills 500 people, but if they hear a personal story well told about a single victim, the tears may fall.
There are a lot of people in this movie. There were so many extras that I half expected to see myself in one of the crowd scenes. With so many different main characters and perspectives, I didn't find myself forming a connection with any of them. But I liked the film just fine, and I never would have sat through a documentary on the subject.
