September 1, 2022 Samuel Hames 0

‘Lancaster’ – Review

now viewing

It was the plane that turned World War II to the Allies’ favour and now audiences can witness the untold history of RAF Bomber Command and the power of the Avro Lancaster in the seminal documentary Lancaster.

Lancaster tells the story of the iconic WW2 bomber, through the words of the last surviving veterans of the strategic bombing campaign.

Starting with ‘The Blitz’, we follow our 38 contributors as they join-up, learn to fly and go to war. With the enemy strong and RAF Bomber Command badly equipped, losses were high. But eventually the tide turned with the introduction of the ‘Lanc’.

Designed to take the war to the enemy – and to win it – the Lancaster was both loved and feared by aircrews and the enemy. From the firestorms of Hamburg, through the famous Dambuster raids and the still-controversial bombing of Dresden, emotional testimonies tell of courage, fear, friendship and moral ambiguity.

Delivering the definitive history of the Royal Air Forces Avro Lancaster and its application and effectiveness to RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War, Lancaster is a documentary that honours the men and women of Bomber Command who stepped into the fray and made the hard choices that turned the war in the Allies favour. Directors David Fairhead and Ant Palmer offer up a complete history of the Lanc and just how crucial its development and implementation to the war was. Through in-person interviews with surviving Lancaster crews and archival images and footage Fairhead and Palmer craft a complete picture of the Lancaster’s importance to the war effort, and how it was the plane that turned the tide. The authoritative tone of renowned thespian Charles Dance adds to the impact of this film, and from its very start audiences will be sucked into its compelling, daring and battle-hardened story.

Lancaster finds its impact thanks to the presence of its surviving crew members who now in their late 90s discuss the impact that the war had on them and how they came to serve in it. With complete honesty and conviction these great men discuss their role in the war, and how its dark and dangerous experiences shaped their character and conviction. British, Australian, Canadian, Polish and New Zealanders are present in their ranks and each of these men is open with their experiences and delivers their stories not with dramatic tension, but rather with a can-do attitude of past reflection. These men were simply doing their jobs, and as the ones who didn’t ‘get the chop’ the miraculousness of their survival through sheer hell has an even greater impact on the audience.

From the daring raid of the Dambusters and the Battle of the Ruhr through efforts to destroy the Peenemünde V-2 rocket launch sites and the Bombing of Dresden are all presented in full detail to the audience of Lancaster. And their impact is not lost on anyone who witnesses this film. The wreckage and loss of life of the Second War War are unfathomable to try to understand and seeing these old airmen discuss their past is sure to fill you with emotion. Through technical innovation, ace piloting and sheer guts and grit, the crews of the Lanc’s of Bomber Command would turn the war to victory for the Allies. But at a heavy cost. It’s this impact that the audience will feel while watching Lancaster, and this film is a tribute to those who answered the call and did their duty during humanity’s darkest hour.

Will full authority I can state that Lancaster is one of the greatest documentary films I’ve ever had the experience of watching. Made with a deep passion to tell the story of the Lancaster and her crews properly, this is a story that honours the heroism of those who flew them and gives them the chance to tell their story true. It’s an utterly moving experience and honours the power, history and legacy of The Lanc.