‘Kneecap’ - Review
There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in Kneecap where a Palestinian flag hangs from a West Belfast balcony. While brief, this shot speaks to the film's heart - an ode to art and existence as a form of resistance.
Kneecap chronicles the rise of an Irish-language rap group in West Belfast during the early 2000s. In another scene, the band members, Liam Óg, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaig, perform in a packed venue, shooting rapid-fire Irish verses which excite the crowd. Their lyrics, filled with unapologetic profanity, are linguistic acts of defiance; they preserve and celebrate a unique cultural heritage. Just like the Palestinian flag, Kneecap's use of Irish isn't inherently a political statement. It's an expression of identity, a demarcation of who they are. Yet these expressions of identity are politicized because their very existence challenges the narratives of those who seek to erase these identities.
Kneecap's music isn't inherently political; they simply create and perform in their native tongue. It's the context of oppression and cultural suppression that transforms these acts of expression into acts of resistance. What begins as a source of fun and cultural pride for the band evolves into something more profound - it connects Kneecap to their family members, the people in their local community, and their growing audience. The film grounds its political themes in these deeply human contexts. Naoise's tense relationship with his ex-IRA father Arlo (a man whose ideas of resistance are purely militant) juxtaposes sharply with his mother's warmth, tenderness, and support. Both relationships, however, exist as the foundation of Naoise’s resistance, reminding us that the fight for justice is rooted not just in ideology, but also in the people who give us reason to persist.
In Kneecap, the Palestinian flag exists as a reminder of the universality of the message. Recently, we’ve witnessed escalating atrocities and ongoing ethnic cleansing in Palestine. Yet against all odds, Palestinian art and cinema continue to thrive – powerful mediums that reclaim identity and showcase the strength of a people under siege. Whether it's rap in Irish or poetry in Arabic, the reclamation of identity through art is most crucial when confronted with ceaseless attempts at erasure, a way to preserve heritage and imagine a future beyond oppression.
During their final triumphant concert near the end of the film, Kneecap performs before a sea of solidarity and waving flags. In the face of oppression, art evolves beyond expression – it becomes an assertion of humanity, a refusal to be erased, and a call for justice echoing beyond borders.
Inspired by Kneecap's story, Film Slop is launching a new series exploring art and resistance. We aim to amplify artists whose work embodies this defiance, seeking to understand what drives them to create in the face of adversity. Through interviews and features, we'll explore personal stories behind the art, examining how individual expressions make for powerful political statements. Above all, we’re excited to platform artists who exude the spirit of defiance.
By engaging with and amplifying art from marginalized communities—Palestinian cinema, Irish-language rap, or any other form of cultural expression born of struggle—we aspire to support the global chorus of resistance.