Red Riding (1980): Film Review

Part two of the trilogy, 1980 sees a host of old faces return, a few new ones introduced and a mythology hidden behind the genuine cultural occurences in West Yorkshire expanded. In this case, the bridge back into the tale of corruption and foul play in the North is the Yorkshire ripper, as Man on Wire director James Marsh takes up the reigns of the huge story from Julian Jarrold.

With the aforementioned 'Jack from Hell' continuing his terrible deeds, his body tally stretching to thirteen, the Home Office responds by drafting a new 'super squad' into the investigation. This comes in the form of Mancunian detective Peter Hunter (Paddy Considine), and his subordinates Helen Marshall (Maxine Peake) and John Nolan (Tony Pitts).

Hardly popular with the beat cops, with whom he is referred to as PC C word, Hunter's trials are made difficult with head honcho Bill Molloy (Warren Clarke) being taken off the case following a bizzare televised appeal to the killer, and a general feeling that the local force have taken the killings far too personally, leaving command of the man hunt to his right hand man Maurice Jobson (David Morrissey).

Hunter immediately plows into the background of the killings, pouring through the details of the previous killings in the build up to Christmas, 'helped' by a liason in the form of now detective Bob Craven (Sean Harris), one of the two heavies who sideswiped Eddie Dunford in 1974. The other man, Tommy Douglas (Tony Mooney), is now off the force following these events, bitter at the police force and potentially useful as an informant. Indeed, it is revealed that Hunter had initially worked on the investigation of the Karachi Club shoot out, which served as the end of the previous film and has seemingly been covered up with talks of an impossible gunfight taking place.

The team quickly find a potential discrecepancy in the files, regarding one of the victims, Claire Strachan. Formerly pimped out by a now dead police officers, the woman's death does not match those of the other ripper killings, and Hunter's suspicions are confirmed by a visit from BJ (Robert Sheehan), a survivor of the first film, and Reverend Martin Laws (Peter Mullan), the community support worker. Working on this information, Hunter begins to find evidence of a cover up within the case that suggests yet more corruption, stretching all the way back to Karachi and John Dawson. No sooner does he begin making progress, however, is Hunter reprimanded by superiors for mistreating the investigating officers, while he is concerned by his subordinate Helen's new found intimacy with Laws, compromising the enquiry.

With his superiors seemingly content to cut loose the case, and with his supposed colleagues hindering his efforts with every step, Hunter faces an unwinable battle amid a hail of blackmail, false allegations, journalistic pressing and intimidation from the rank and file as the body toll rises and witnesses are gotten rid of, culminating in an attempt to force a staged success story when the killer Peter Suttcliffe is finally caught.

1980 adds more weight to the second of the trilogy school of thinking. While 1974 stood up on it's own feet, not entirely independent, but easily acceptable as a solo effort, it's successor at times feels far too much like filler, a lack of the plot which the made the first packed with story instead leaving gaps and leading to an abrupt ending one step beyond a cliffhanger.

James Marsh employs workmanlike direction, never quite grabbing the visual flair and distinct appearance of Julian Jarrold's work but still managing to maintain the bubble of the era, albeit losing some of the more internal musings conveyed in part one. The scripting once again is excellent, with good character points scored and opportunity for some great internal rifts and sniping heading up towards the restrained and composed, but ultimately impotent Hunter.

There's also an opportunity for overlapping character arcs, with Craven and Laws enjoying expanded coverage, while there are room for brief cameos by the likes of Eddie Marsan, which plays well into a sense of the trilogy being one whole rather than the sum of it's parts. However, the flip side of this is that virtually everyone involved aside from Hunter and his detectives know exactly what's going on, and that includes the viewer. It's maddening watching the likes of Craven, Molloy and Jobson walking free of any punishment, and the new mystery created which drives the plot is rather bungled in it's elaboration near the end, with exposition from one character filling in too many gaps and making much of the already seen police work irrelevant. The conclusion is disheartening on too many levels.

Despite this, the ensemble steps up to the plate once more, with the always excellent Considine delivering another conflicted, torn performance as the straw man Hunter, and he's ably backed up by those around him, particularly Maxine Peake and Peter Mullan, who oozes mystery having previously only been seen in a single scene. The one weak link is the undoubtedly talented Sean Harris, who strains to keep up a Yorkshire accent during longer stretches of dialogue than before, at times distracting when compared to the genuine speach patterns of his fellow actors.

Music choice and cinematography are once again excellent, and a good use of locations certainly adds the feel of the piece, particularly the Hades like gloom of Fitzwilliam. The opening sequence of the film, using archive news footage covering the reign of terror inflicted by the Ripper is both highly evocative and educational in detailing the impact the murders had in the area, as well as setting the tone brilliantly and allowing the story to naturally flow into the quasi-reality. 1980 lacks the cultural significance of 1974, but keeps up the brooding mood.

Suffering from being a relay messenger of sorts, keeping the story running for the concluding 1983 at the expense of it's own standing, 1980 is still doubtlessly watchable and enjoyable, albeit on a disappointing note when contrasted with the trapesty weaved by it's predecessor.

7/10