ironhorse_iv Review of United

United (I) (2011)

It was a good film, but kinda lacking. It didn't reach its GOOOALLL!!!

[7/10 · 27 November 2014]

I know a lot of people is giving this movie praise, but this movie didn't score because how limiting the film production is. Don't get me wrong, I like the movie, but something about it, was missing. Directed by James Strong, and written by Chris Chilbail, the movie tries to tell the true story of Manchester United's "Busby Babes" football AKA soccer team before and the aftermath of the 1958 Munich air disaster. Sadly, the movie fails to do that, as the movie doesn't have the budget to pull it off. The movie rarely show any action. For a movie about soccer players, it doesn't show even one football match. It's just radio plays the highlights from the game. This was very disappointing in an entertaining value. While, the games were omitted from the film, I do believe, they did a good job on showcasing the airplane crash, without going all CGI and special effects on it. Having the black-out hazing factor, made the film more suspenseful. I love the dream-like quality of it. Even the opening to the film was very well-made for a low budget TV film. Still, the computer generated, they did use, were pretty bad. The famed home ground, Old Trafford doesn't look real to me. Another thing, I do find troublesome, is that the movie focus way too much time, on the rise of player, Bobby Charlton (Jack O'Connell) on the first act, and assistant team manager Jimmy Murphy (David Tennant) on the second act. Since the movie lacks action, the film is loaded with a melodrama. Most of the first act drama, focus on Bobby Charlton trying to get into the team. Pretty predictable outcome that wasn't needed. It felt like a rags to riches story that made Bobby Charlton look like a hero, than a well-rounded film about how good, the team was, as a whole. The same as the second part, the movie makes Jimmy Murphy look like a million bucks, but they rarely focus on the replacements boys that are trying to live up to the 'Busby Babes' name. Since the movie only focus on these two, this makes the film, kinda faulty, as the movie doesn't do any service in developing any of the other teammates that happen to die in the crash. The film running time is way too short to establish anybody else. I barely got to know, most of them. Even if, the movie did. The movie still kinda forgot a lot to the players. They omitted Roger Byrne, Liam Whelan, Geoff Bent, Albert Scanlon, and Bill Foulkes. I found it, weird that someone like Roger Byrne, the captain of the team, wasn't in the film! I also had a problem with the journalists, trainers and other passengers who were not mentioned, especially those who died like Frank Swift. The movie also lack the time, to explain what was happening during the season. Those who are not familiar with the English & Europe football league systems might find the film details a bit confusing, especially how the team went on to complete the season. Honestly, I didn't know what was happening. All I knew is that they played one game that we didn't see, and somehow, they end up like champions. The exposition should had been use better in those black & white vintage theater reels. Odd for the theater to had HD clear black and white film in those days. Anyways, it felt like those scenes could had done, more to establish who the Manchester United were. The movie acting is very good for the most part. Jack O'Connell was great as the confident boyish Charlton. Sam Clafin was alright as the charismatic Duncan Edwards. I love David Tennant as the gaunt gritty yet deep, Jimmy. His performance was probably the best in the film. One actor that kinda got mixed results from me, is Dougray Scott as the determined Matt Busby. Scott's speaking pace, accent, and intonation, combined with his facial expressions and walk were a bit outlandish. He look bitter and evil, for most of the film. The Scottish accent was so deep, it sound more like Russian than anything else. He look like he was going to rip somebody head off with his gangster like style. Some parts of his dialogue were so hard to understand which hindered the overall effect of the film. Still, I did love his scene with FA director of football, Alan Hardaker (Neil Dudgeon). Both played hard ball with each other. It was a very intense scene. I agree with Sandy Busby, the son of Matt Busby, when he state, he was "disgusted" with the portrayal of his father on this film. The score by Clint Mansell was well-done. The emotional uplifting music by Paul Weller was beautiful. I love the song, 'Devotion'. The TV movie was first broadcast on BBC Two and BBC HD, before being sold internationally as a theatrical picture by Content Media Corp. It's somewhat easy to find. Overall: It's did the best, it could with the money they had. I wish for more, but in the end, it's still a powerful, haunting and very emotional touching movie that any soccer fan or sport fan can't miss.