The 2016 war film The Siege of Jadotville, now streaming on Netflix, retells the story of a 'forgotten' 1960s battle involving the Irish Army, and viewers have praised it as 'one of the best war movies around'.
A forgotten battle brought to life
Directed by Richie Smyth and written by Kevin Brodbin, the film is a collaboration between Irish and South African productions. It is based on Declan Power's book of the same name and recounts the events of an Irish Army unit during the Congo Crisis.
From 1960 to 1965, part of Congo was in political upheaval and conflict. The Irish stepped in to help as part of the United Nations Operation, leading to the Siege of Jadotville. The film begins with the execution of Congo's Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and the outbreak of civil war, before showing the brutal details of war that have been somewhat swept under the rug in mainstream media.
Jamie Dornan leads the cast
Jamie Dornan plays the leading role as the Irish Army officer who commanded the Irish UN force. He felt strongly about the subject matter, claiming that the real-life veterans 'didn't get the recognition they deserved' and was pleased to shed light on their 'heroic' work.
The cast also includes Emmanuelle Seigner as Madame LaFontagne, Jason O'Mara as Jack Prendergast, Mikael Persbrandt as Dag Hammarskjöld, and Mark Strong as Conor Cruise O'Brien.
Viewer praise and training for realism
A fan shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes, writing: 'One of the best war movies around! I had no idea about this story, a total injustice to these guys, total heroes!' Another viewer said: 'Amazing true story of real-life heroes. Great movie, well-told story, great acting. A must see.'
Viewers agree that the film never loses the heart of its story, with no huge action gimmicks or 'cheesy' scenes. One fan wrote: 'So many other war films seem slightly cheesy in comparison to this one. It's full of realistic battlefield action – and I mean FULL. Refreshingly, unlike so many others of the same genre, it doesn't suffer from too much pathos. Whether it really is historically accurate I have no idea, but it certainly rang of the truth to me. Highly recommended!'
To ensure accurate performances, director Ritchie Smythe put the cast through a training camp in South Africa before filming. Another viewer commented: 'Absolutely worth watching. This is an incredible true story on valour, determination and intelligence against brutal force.'
The award-winning film, which won three Irish Film & Television Awards, is available to stream now exclusively on Netflix.
