not as good as all the hype

From my favorite movies..

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Much has been written about alleged "pro-Thatcher" approach of The Falklands Play, and it certainly was well acted. It would have been interested seeing it performed on stage rather than in a studio like here.I think though a follow-up play is necessary where it details what motivated the British Government to exclude their amputee soldiers (who lost their limbs in the Falklands) from the victory parades.I think a follow-up play is necessary where it details how Mrs Thatcher could support the totalitarian Pinochet regime who were hardly democratic, even though Mrs Thatcher fought to restore democracy in the Falklands.I think a follow-up play is necessary explain why this script wasn't shopped to ITV or Channel 4 when the BBC weren't so keen on it.I think a follow-up play is necessary to debunk the myth that the 1983 general election was an endorsement of Britain's involvement in the Falklands War, given the Conservative Party's national vote actually decreased from its 1979 share.I think such a follow-up play might be too much and too politically incorrect for the champagne conservatives. A follow-up play would be way too politically incorrect.

The title of this review is aimed squarely at those who object to certain omissions from the film. If you want 100% historical accuracy watch a documentary. If you want world class acting with a riveting plot watch this. Frankly though the film is sufficiently accurate that all but those with a political axe to grind against Mrs. Thatcher ought to be satisfied. Having watched numerous documentaries on the subject myself I found nothing to complain about in the film. For sure there's a spin to it - the vast majority of war films have one.The film is simply top notch entertainment. The cast is a who's who of the cream of English talent and that shows through in spades. You'll go a long way to see a better cast do a better job.I called this a war film though in reality it's about the background to and political side of a war rather than the military side. Does it favour Mrs. Thatcher? - certainly it does. Then again the actual war favoured her too. She got the calls right and the people voted for her because of it, so in such a respect the film reflects reality. If you hate Mrs. Thatcher, and there are many who do, then that hatred will likely be strong enough to obscure the film so don't bother with it. Such a hate that's sufficient to rejoice at her death will certainly beat a few actors no matter how good their efforts. If you're a supporter or a neutral then put this in your must watch list of British films.

I write this review, 25 years to the day of the liberation of The Falkland Islands. It is a review, I feel compelled to write in honour of all British servicemen killed in that brief conflict in 1982. I'm sure the Argentines have different views and feelings about the events which occurred between 2nd April - 14 June 1982, but just like The Falklands Play, my review intends to give a solely British perspective.The Falklands War, (or 'conflict' to give it's correct suffix), was the first war Britain had fought in my lifetime. It occurred shortly before my 9th birthday, but I remember it all as if it were yesterday. My father rushing into the garden to tell my brother and I that 'Were going down to give the Argie's some stick', the immense pride we all felt watching HMS Invincible setting sail with great pomp and circumstance, with all those brave lads aboard and the sadness and horror we all felt when the news of our Naval and Military loses started to filter through to the UK news services. It was awful when we heard HMS Coventry was sunk, not only was it the ship of our city, but one of our relatives was serving on the ship at the time and thankfully was not one of the 19 servicemen lost on the ship that day.As I said earlier, 'The Falklands Play' gives a British ONLY viewpoint of the Argentine invasion of British Sovereign Territory and our Governments subsequent yet fruitless attempts to negotiate and defuse the situation by diplomatic means.Patricia Hodge gives a truly fantastic performance as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who seeing an act of aggression committed against British subjects, refuses to concede to the appeasement demands made by The Argentines, The Americans mediators and even members of her own Cabinet.In some scenes, Hodge shows us the softer side to the 'Iron Lady', like her obvious frustration about having to order the sinking of the Argentine Cruiser 'General Belgrano', (formerly the American Cruiser USS Phoenix CL-46, a ship that had actually survived the Pearl Harbor attack 40 years earlier). We see her openly weeping when she first hears news of HMS Sheffield being hit by an Exocet anti-ship missile, and the sleepless night she experiences while worried about the stranded Marines, trapped on the unforgiving snow covered rocks of South Georgia. However, most of these instances occurred behind closed doors. In public 'Maggie' remained unwavering in her support for the besieged islanders and resolute in her stance.Other cast members are also outstanding, James Fox, as Lord Carrington, John Standing as William 'Willie' Whitelaw and Clive Merrison as John Nott. However, it is Colin Stinton who plays US Secretary Of State Alexander Haig that gives one of my favourite performances. My favourite character, (apart from Patricia Hodge as Thatcher), is John Woodvine's performance as Former 1st Sea Lord, Admiral of The Fleet and Chief Of Defence Staff, the late Sir Terence Lewin. He's the guy Maggie could not do without, and Woodvine plays his part magnificently, a great actor, playing and even greater man. Bob Sherman's portrayal of President Ronald Reagan, is sadly one of the weakest performances here, turning the 'Great Communicator' into a stuttering, indecisive bumbler instead of the great man he was.The Falklands Play, even boasts some subtle humour in parts, but due to it's serious subject matter, it's kept to a minimum because when you're making a film about war, especially one so fresh in some people's minds, to include laughs would be treading a very dangerous tightrope indeed.Whether any of the things we see in 'The Falklands Play' actually happened verbatim, we will never know as the play comes straight out of writer Ian Cureais's head. All I know is that 'The Falklands Play' is an enjoyable piece of screen work.There are some that says it glorifies 'Thatcherism', maybe it does, but it's a movie made in one time, about events that occurred in another. There was a war, people died, and thanks to both Maragret Thatchers truculence, and the UK armed forces, (still the best fighting force in the world), Britain won it, but not without price.25 years on, I would like to pay my tribute to all who died and praise the courage of all the Falkland Islanders who were effected by those events 25 years ago. To them, I quote their own Island's motto .... "Desire The Right" We certainly didn't let them down.

The Falklands Play has got to be one of the most controversial plays never produced of the 1980s.Originally written by Ian Curteis shortly after the war ended but the BBC declined to produce it, officially because it wasn't good enough, but widely believed to be because it was too pro-Conservative just before a General Election in the UK. Watching it now it's even harder to believe that it wasn't good enough to make years ago.Telling the story of the British politics immediately before and during the conflict Patricia Hodge is brilliant in her role as Mrs. Thatcher. So scarily like her that during the recreated news clips it's hard to remember which one is the actress. Although some of the other lead characters look and sound nothing like their alter-egos, they still manage to recreate the right atmosphere.Deliberately supposed to show the conflict from `our side' I'm not sure if the emotional side of Margaret Thatcher isn't over played slightly.