Hurricane (2018 film)
Hurricane | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | David Blair |
Screenplay by |
|
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Piotr Sliskowski |
Edited by | Sean Barton |
Music by | Laura Rossi |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by |
|
Release dates |
|
Running time | 123 minutes |
Countries | Poland United Kingdom |
Languages | English Polish |
Budget | $10 million |
Hurricane (a.k.a. Hurricane: 303 Squadron and 303: Bitwa o Anglię in Poland and Mission of Honor in the United States) is a 2018 biographical war film drama, produced by Krystian Kozlowski and Matthew Whyte, directed by David Blair, and written by Alastair Galbraith and Robert Ryan. The film stars Iwan Rheon, with Milo Gibson, Stefanie Martini, Marcin Dorociński, Kryštof Hádek and Christopher Jaciow in supporting roles.[1][2] Hurricane depicts the experiences of a group of Polish pilots of No. 303 Squadron RAF (Dywizjon 303) in the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. The film had its premiere in Warsaw, Poland on 17 August 2018. It was released in the UK on the 7 September 2018.
The movie debuted at almost exactly same time as Polish production 303 Squadron: The True Story, often leading to confusion between two films, especially in Poland.
Plot[]
The pilots of No. 303 Squadron RAF, are a group of Polish fliers who have escaped from Europe, following the Nazi invasions of Poland and France, to join the Royal Air Force. Czech Josef František, refusing to become a bomber pilot, invites himself into the newly formed unit. Canadian RAF pilot John Kent, who became affectionally known as "Kentowski", has his work cut out for him when he is handed the angry and often maligned squadron to command.[3] Piloting Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft, 303 Squadron works through language barriers, cultural differences and their grief on the loss of loved ones to become highly effective in the Battle of Britain. At the conclusion, the Polish pilots are told that they will be repatriated to communist Poland.[4]
Cast[]
- Iwan Rheon as Jan Zumbach
- Milo Gibson as John A. Kent
- Stefanie Martini as Phyllis Lambert
- Kryštof Hádek as Josef František
- Marcin Dorociński as Witold Urbanowicz
- Christopher Jaciow as Zdzisław Henneberg
- Nicholas Farrell as Sir Hugh Dowding
- Robert Portal as Keith Park
Zygmunt Klein was the factual Jewish pilot portrayed in the film talking to Zumbach by the coach in the scene overlooking the sea at Broadstairs.[citation needed]
Production[]
The script is not a historical depiction of all events. One news item provided this comment after researching the content of the film and the actual history: "the film attempted to stick close to fact, but the needs of dramatic action often swayed the plot into fictitious and occasionally unrealistic narratives".[5] In late 2017 and early 2018 some scenes were shot on the Kent coast at Stone Bay and Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs. [6]
Reception[]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film (as Mission of Honor) has an approval rating of 86% based on reviews from seven critics, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[7]
The review in The Guardian was mixed, with a 3/5 star rating. Leslie Felperin made this concluding comment: "The lack of budget, relative to Dunkirk at least, is glaring in the aerial dogfights, and the score is too maudlin and on the nose, but director David Blair navigates the whole thing through the storm with watchable competence".[8]
Home Media[]
Mission of Honor was released April 30, 2019, by Cinedigm on Region A Bluray, DVD, and streaming video.
References[]
- ^ McKenzie, Steven. "Scot directs new film on WW2 Polish fighters". BBC. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- ^ Gibbs, Bill. "Scots director behind Battle of Britain epic Hurricane". Sunday Post. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- ^ Garrett Hunter. "HURRICANE Film review (Mission of Honor)". www.britflicks.com.
- ^ "Hurricane (2018) Movie Script". Springfield! Springfield!.
- ^ Bretan, Juliette (September 21, 2018). "Hurricane & Dywizjon". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ Kent Film Office. "Hurricane (2018) Article".
- ^ "Mission of Honor (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ Leslie Felperin (6 September 2018). "Hurricane review – all guns blazing in the Battle of Britain skies". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
Further reading[]
- Josef Frantisek: The Battle of Britain's Czech hero
- Fighting Back by Martin Sugarman, 2017 pub by Valentine Mitchell - chapter on Jews in the Battle of Britain; details on Zygmunt Klein
- Olson, Lynne and Stanley Cloud. A Question of Honor: the Kościuszko Squadron in World War II. New York: Random House, 2003. ISBN 978-0-375-41197-7.
External links[]
- 2018 films
- British war drama films
- World War II films
- British multilingual films
- Polish multilingual films
- British historical action films
- Polish biographical drama films
- Polish films
- British biographical drama films
- British films
- Biographical action films
- Battle of Britain films
- 2018 war drama films
- 2018 multilingual films
- 2018 drama films
- Polish war drama films
- Films directed by David Blair (director)