★★★★☆
Do we need another movie about World War 2? Maybe not. Does it make Anthony Maras’ Pressure less of a thrill to watch? Not at all. Pressure is a unique take on the oft-retold story of D-Day, from a perspective we may not know as much about: meteorology, and how vital it was in deciding when to go through with that famous day in Normandy.
The movie takes place in the days leading up to the proposed invasion date of 5 June, and it’s up to a newly transferred Stagg to make the call on whether to press on. Pressure (punintended) mounts as his new American colleagues make the case for a clear day on the 5th, but Stagg isn’t satisfied and persistently insists on not doing so. There is a constant clash of heads between him and the Americans, among them Brendan Fraser as Eisenhower. He’s not there to make friends, though, and ultimately his prediction of a storm rings true. Spotting a gap in the storm, he convinces the powers that be to utilise that gap on 6 June to go for it. And it pays off. The rest, as we know, is history. Technically, all of it is history.
There is a case to be made for World War 2 movie fatigue, but what sets Pressure apart is that its focus is almost entirely away from the frontlines and solely focussed on an aspect of decision-making we know very little about. But when you think about it, the weather is perhaps one of the most vital aspects of a successful invasion. Andrew Scott is fantastic as Stagg, with Fraser’s Eisenhower and Damien Lewis’ Bernard Montgomery also strong. We may not necessarily have needed another film about the war, but in a sea of combat-focussed productions, Pressure is a breath of fresh air.
