I was in two minds about seeing this film; although I feel it's important to be reminded of both the awfulness and the greatness of the human spirit, I find it hard to stomach violence and cruelty. However, my social conscience overrode my ostrich-like nature and boy am I glad it did. Blind Flight, the story of Brian Keenan and John McCarthy's hostage experiences in Beirut back in the 1980s, is a surprisingly light-hearted and humorous film. Indeed it transpires that a lot of the ad-libbing that occurred during filming had to be cut from the final edit. This fact emphasises the closeness and the nature of the relationship between the two men, being founded on a wry humour that belied the reality of their situation. Ian Hart as Keenan and Linus Roache as McCarthy are phenomenally accurate in their portrayal of the two men, highlighting the differences between this 'odd couple' without ever resorting to caricature.
Although never shying away from the inevitable brutality that occurs when man is given ultimate power over man, all credit to the John Furse for giving a human face to the guards, and showing how 'good' and 'evil' are such subjective notions during political struggles. However the film was also careful to point out that even during such extreme situations, there is a right and a wrong way to treat people. This film made surprisingly little impact in the UK upon its release. I hope it finds the audience it deserves on DVD.
Although never shying away from the inevitable brutality that occurs when man is given ultimate power over man, all credit to the John Furse for giving a human face to the guards, and showing how 'good' and 'evil' are such subjective notions during political struggles. However the film was also careful to point out that even during such extreme situations, there is a right and a wrong way to treat people. This film made surprisingly little impact in the UK upon its release. I hope it finds the audience it deserves on DVD.