Blitz (2024) review

With World War II underway and London getting rained on by bombs from the Nazis, single mother (and munitions worker) Rita (Saoirse Ronan) arranges for her little son George (Elliott Heffernan) to be evacuated out of the city, but he doesn't want to leave and jumps out of the train - when she's told this, she goes to look for him, and on to their way to locate each other encounter all sorts of different individuals: George gets assistance from Air Raid Precautions warden Ife (Benjamin Clementine) while Rita is helped out by Jack (Harris Dickinson).  This has McQueen in much more "conventional" mode than usual, but that doesn't mean it's a fulfilling feature, since the major focus in here is on the racial aspect of the storyline instead of the terrifying assault: George's mocked for his African heritage, his biological father Marcus (CJ Beckford) is harassed by the authorities and Rita's badmouthed too ... and then there's a lecture by Ife in a shelter about not being "divided" and to treat one another (regardless of skin color, ethnicity, etc.) with respect.  You'd think with imminent death looming overhead it would have a real sense of urgency before the tube station's flooded and mom and her kid have their inevitable reunion ... except it moves like it has shoes made of concrete.  You're not quite Charlie Dickens, mate.