EIFF: Castles In The Sky, Review

With the centenary of the 1st World War upon us it seems there are plenty of productions (film and TV) trying to capture that wartime sprit and highlight wartime heroes, known and unknown.

Scotsman, James Watson Watt is the focus of ‘Castles In The Sky’ the meteorologist who stumbled over the concept behind something now used every day and without which the outcome of the Battle Of Britain and possibly the Second World War could have been very different. Radar.

Watt (played by Izzy Izzard) is shown to be a radical thinker, wanting to put together his own team rather than PHD’s from Oxford and Cambridge. Committed to the cause he takes the full pressure for the project, even at the risk of his own marriage.

The writers have used (and admit openly at the start) some dramatic licence adding in some intrigue and interesting characters. Thankfully I don’t think this takes away much from the true story and anything that highlights these great innovators who where sworn to secrecy to a wider public (in my opinion) should be welcomed.

‘Castles In The Sky’ rather than focusing of the further development of Watson Watts radio detection system into radar stops short, I hope there will be a follow up. The film has little breadcrumbs all over hinting at future development of radar including a rotating lamp and little shots of future inspiration.

Castles In The Sky will have its World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on Monday the 23rd of June with a further showing on Saturday 28th of June.

For tickets and more information visit www.edfilmfest.org.uk