PremiumThe Flood review: Lena Headey, Ivanno Jeremiah are complex and beautiful
Every character in The Flood has a back story and a strong emotion, which is beautifully developed. You are likely to empathize with each character as you go deeper into their journey. The biggest drawback for this Lena Headey starrer, however, is that it takes a long time to build up.
A still from The Flood.
Last Updated: 08.27 PM, Jun 03, 2021
What's it about:
The Flood is inspired from the real-life stories of people migrating to Europe and being tagged as terrorists and eventually being executed. The film is from the perspective of people on the receiving end.
What's hot:
The storyline is undoubtedly gripping. Lena Headey in the role of an immigration officer and Ivanno Jeremiah, who plays a former soldier-turned-migrant, are a constant delight to watch. Another aspect of the film that makes it beautiful, is the fact that it isn't glamourized even a little. The Flood talks about London but shows us slums in London, which is an unusual sight. It shows us tents where migrants in UK are forced to live because they have no other place to go to. Not just Lena or Ivanno, every character in The Flood has a back story and a strong emotion, which is beautifully developed. You are likely to empathize with each character as you go deeper into their journey. Arsher Ali as Nasrat, Mandip Gill as Reema and Iain Glen as Philip are convincing too.
What's not:
The biggest drawback for this Lena Headey starrer is that it takes a long time to build up. You know the story is going to get somewhere but you can't quite place your finger on it for a long time, especially because it explores so many plotlines that you could lose track and interest. The Flood softly and slowly takes you through the lives the migrants live, where death is always waiting at their footstep. It tells you about a soldier who has seen it all and bared it all. Even though the journey might sound beautiful, another thing The Flood lacks is build-up. There are a few scenes in the one hour 30 minute film that could have done with a better build-up. Moments like Lena's reaction when she is assigned a new case, could have been showcased in a better fashion. If she could just sit there for a few seconds more or expressed more with her eyes, the scene would probably have more impact than it does.
Final word:
The Flood is realistic and something that people are bound to like. However, it is not a film you will go back to again and again.