When The Wind Blows – A Short Review

Based on the Raymond Briggs’ graphic novel, When The Wind Blows (1986) is an animated drama about an elderly British couple during a nuclear attack. Following from the days approaching up to, and into the days after the fallout. The couple appear calm at first as they follow the government set advice on how to prepare for a nuclear attack. They remain upbeat at first about the situation, relating it to the past experiences of the previous world wars and how they recovered from their aftermaths. Conversations seem to stay mild mannered and the severity of the situation is only very slightly hinted at by the couple. Yet as the film progresses we begin to see the effects of the radiation set in as the couple gradually begin to decline health wise.

When the film reaches the latter stages it really becomes harrowing to witness the decline of these mild mannered people. They continue to converse gently with one another, which works disturbingly on an emotional level in contrast with the tenderness of the couples interactions. There is something very relatable about the old couple. They seem to be very average, nice, caring people which makes it all the more difficult to see their slow decline on screen.

This in the end though helps to subtly highlight the real threat and consequences of nuclear war. Instead of focusing on the government or armed forces as done by Stanley Kubrick in Dr Strangelove (1964), When The Wind Blows focuses instead on the everyday average people and how these things would affect everyone. To often these films can come across as to broad and abstract when analysing the effects of possible nuclear war. They can, perhaps sometimes, be lost on some people as they try to cover such a large scope of issues in a limited amount of time. This animation however avoids this in its grounded everyman approach. It doesn’t try to abstractly ponder the philosophical aspects of such a disaster commencing. It is cleverer than that. Instead the creators are aware that thorough showing a couples experience in such an event will be much more relatable than explaining the effects on a broader scope.

It is hard to really define what makes this film so effective. It seems to work on a level that is honest in its portrayal of a nuclear war. The animation is clear and concise in what it wants to achieve and does so to great success. Whilst watching the piece it never feels convoluted in its presentation of themes and the horrors. And after viewing the distresses laid upon the innocent likeable couple, the movie will have any and all viewers contemplating the themes of the film for a long time afterwards.