Steel: The Blood of Us (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

Steel: The Blood of Us is a visual telling of the trials and triumphs of Port Talbot, a small Welsh shore town. The steel industry was formerly the mitochondria of this town, powering a community that still means so much to so many people. While the steel industry in Port Talbot has declined immensely, it remains a prominent reason so many people saw success over more than a century. 

Relying almost entirely on visuals, Steel: The Blood of Us spends the majority of its time showing, rather than explaining. Sure, there are some testimonials by those who have lived in the small Welsh town, but their words are never alone—supplemented and brilliantly complemented by a tour of the town. Seeing is believing, as they say, and Steel: The Blood of Us lets the visuals speak for themselves, helping viewers navigate a town that may not be familiar. 

While Port Talbot may not be exactly the same, it reminds me greatly of the small town in which I grew up. Roebling is just a tiny hamlet in the heart of New Jersey’s Burlington County. Not much happens there anymore: people come, people go. However, in the earliest parts of the twentieth century, Roebling was a town that thrived as a result of its bustling steel mill. People arrived for work, and they stayed for generations. There was once a sense of community that pervaded the entirety of this small town—and while that sentiment has all but dissipated, its history is ingrained in everyone who ever called it home. I say all of that to say that Director Joe Cornick does a spectacular job of presenting viewers with something that reminds me so much of the town that was once where I laid my head—capturing the truth of how this town was once lively, full of passion, a cornerstone of the greater human experience. Steel: The Blood of Us is honest, immersive, and effectively powerful. 

There’s something cathartic about the score, as it pairs beautifully with the visuals. Those visuals are a combination of bright/vibrant and dull/unassuming. The score never shifts, but remains ever-present, simple, and charming. The score in Steel: The Blood of Us creates two tones that may initially feel conflicting, but ultimately work to propel the film forward. Both somber and excited tones take the stage in Steel: The Blood of Us, competing with one another throughout, but ultimately settling into equal roles. It’s imperative that the two juxtapose one another with a sense of understanding; they do that with ease—helping to create a film that moves in a variety of ways. 

I’ve said it before, and I’m not afraid to beat a dead horse, but documentaries all tend to be the same. That’s not really a critique of the genre, but simply a reality. Steel: The Blood of Us isn’t entirely different, but it does well at separating itself from the bulk of other films that are meant to exist in the same vein. 

Steel: The Blood of Us does an exceptional job of being different and allowing its visuals to speak for themselves. Again, those aforementioned testimonials play a role in the film, but are meant more to complement than to guide viewers through Steel: The Blood of Us. This paring, along with the inclusion of the impressive score, combine to make something spectacular and visually appealing. 

Directed by Joe Cornick. 

8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING