Overview
In a town where mischief reigns, a gang's plan to overthrow a village priest takes an unexpected turn.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- darkly humorous
- sardonic
- tense
- crime movie night
- irish cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised John Boorman's assured return to crime cinema, its psychological richness and dark humor, and Brendan Gleeson's audacious central performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Brendan Gleeson plays Martin Cahill, whose robberies and defiance of authority drive the story.
The critical consensus specifically identifies the film as darkly humorous while portraying Cahill's criminal life.
The story is grounded in Martin Cahill, the IRA, and the social atmosphere of Ireland during the Troubles.
Cahill's robberies and clashes with Inspector Ned Kenny frame criminality as an ongoing challenge to state authority.
Films like The General, and why
The Long Good Friday
psychologically rich gangster drama centered on a charismatic criminal antihero and dark humor
Chopper
stylized crime biography examining criminality, social class, and a volatile underworld figure
Intermission
irish crime drama blending black humor, anti-authoritarianism, and a morally compromised protagonist
Legend
gritty biographical gangster film focused on the cycle of violence and criminal ambition
Movie Details
- Director
- John Boorman
- Release Date
- 1998-05-01
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (138)
Cast
- Brendan Gleeson
- Adrian Dunbar
- Sean McGinley
- Maria Doyle Kennedy
- Angeline Ball
- Jon Voight
- Eanna MacLiam
- Tom Murphy
- John Cronin
- Paul Hickey
Common questions
- What is The General about?
- A charismatic Dublin criminal turns audacious robberies and anti-authoritarian swagger into a dangerous challenge to police, rivals, and the political order around him.
- What is The General like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The General as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The General violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The General as brutal.
- What did critics think of The General?
- Critics broadly praised John Boorman's assured return to crime cinema, its psychological richness and dark humor, and Brendan Gleeson's audacious central performance.
- Which films are like The General?
- Films with a similar feel include The Long Good Friday, Chopper, Intermission, and Legend.
- How long is The General?
- The General runs 124 minutes.
