360. Hurricane; movie review

HURRICANE
Cert 15
123 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, violence

And still they come - the tales of the Second World War which have rarely been told.
This one - about 303 squadron - should have received wider attention because they were the most successful unit during the Battle of Britain.
The mainly Polish fighter pilots were initially seen as inferior by the British but their ratios of planes destroyed against losses were better than any.
During David Blair's movie, they are seen as team who are driven by the horrors they witnessed in their homeland after German invasion.
Those who escape and find their way to England are desperate to inflict retribution but are seen as too gung-ho.
However, as the Germans seem on course for victory, all experienced pilots are needed and they get the chance to prove that they are worth their stripes.
Game of Thrones villain Iwan Rheon stars as Jan Zumbach who becomes the unit's unofficial leader because he can speak the best English.
Rheon actually speaks quite a bit of Polish during the movie despite not previously understanding the language. Nevertheless, he convinced both Mrs W and myself (of course, Polish people may be more critical).
I digress. His character and his countrymen (plus one Czech) feel as if they are fighting against the British establishment before they are allowed to test themselves against the Germans.
As they become more frustrated, the atmosphere between them and the RAF flyers becomes more tense and it is heightened when Zumbach and a British rival take a fancy to the same WAAF officer (Stefanie Martini).
Hurricane had a much lower budget than some of the recent mainstream war films but, nevertheless, its action scenes give a fair reflection of the chaotic intensity of battle and the bravery of the combatants.
And it introduces enough pathos to make us realise that the role of the Polish flyers should have been celebrated at the time and been given much greater historical importance in hindsight.

Reasons to watch: An importan true story is finally told
Reasons to avoid: Its low budget makes it feel a tad stilted.

Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Director quote - David Blair: "It's one thing to fight for a cause in a far away land but to do so while all sorts of horrors are taking place back home - of which you have only scant information - made the story heart-breaking - but irresistible too."

The big question - Why were the Polish fighters given greater appreciation?

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