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Oct 16, 2015 · Written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Beasts of No Nation” is based on Uzodinma Iweala’s harrowing, linguistically dazzling novel of a child soldier’s life. Mr. Iweala’s ...
- Cary Joji Fukunaga
- A.O. Scott
- 137 min
Oct 16, 2015 · A film review of Cary Joji Fukunaga's adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala's novel about a child soldier in an unnamed African country. The review praises the film's craft, emotional power, and themes, but also questions its dubious and troubling aspects.
Oct 16, 2015 · Beasts of No Nation finds writer-director Cary Fukunaga working with a talented cast to offer a sobering, uncompromising, yet still somehow hopeful picture of war's human cost. Read Critics...
- (150)
- War, Drama
- Cary Joji Fukunaga
Sep 2, 2015 · This film, premiering at the Venice film festival, is his best film yet. Fukunaga brings flair, muscular storytelling, directness and a persuasively epic sweep to this brutal, heartrending movie...
- There are no bad boys, only good soldiers.
- Verdict
By Max Nicholson
Updated: Oct 14, 2015 10:25 pm
Posted: Oct 14, 2015 8:36 pm
Based on the 2005 novel by Uzodinma Iweala and set in an unnamed African country, Beasts of No Nation tells the story of Agu (Abraham Attah), a young boy who gets separated from his family when army troops invade his village and kill everyone in sight. Fleeing to the wilderness, Agu encounters a group of rebel mercenaries led by a fearsome Commandant (Idris Elba) and is immediately recruited by them. There he undergoes dangerous initiation rituals and rigorous training, but also finds a kindred spirit in Strika (Emmanuel "King Kong" Nii Adom), another young recruit. In time, Agu's wide-eyed naiveté turns into coldblooded vengeance, as he and his fellow soldiers set out to destroy the military force that killed so many of their people.
Suffice to say, Beasts of No Nation, directed by True Detective's Cary Joji Fukunaga, is not for the faint of heart. Agu may not be based on any one person, but his plight is painfully real in similar parts of the world. Knowing that, it can be hard to stomach Agu's transition into becoming a killer -- especially when boys his age shouldn't even have to think about things like that. But this is a coming-of-age story grounded in harsh truths, and newcomer Abraham Attah skillfully captures his character's awful transformation. Luckily, Agu has his buddy Strika to lean on in times of strife, but even that relationship is fragile in war.
Idris Elba, meanwhile, is chillingly charismatic as the Commandant. His character's impassioned speeches rightfully inspire his very young followers, to the point that even we as viewers might believe what he says. But as the Commandant moves his troops from site to site, it becomes clear that he too has insecurities about their never-ending rebellion. In some ways, this story is not just about the children who fight, but the grown men who lead them. And in this case, they're not as all-knowing and powerful as they think they are. Idris Elba in Beasts of No NationAs brutal as Beasts of No Nation is, the set-pieces are exhilarating and, at times, hauntingly beautiful. The film also has moments of true artistry, thanks to Fukunaga's inspired cinematography. The filmmaker is renowned for his impressive long take in True Detective: Season 1, and there are similar technical achievements in this. The most striking image comes late in the film when Agu trudges through a muddy, labyrinthian trench and passes by numerous dead bodies without a second glance. It's a nonessential moment in the story, but it perfectly illustrates Agu's desensitization to violence.
Beasts of No Nation isn't the type of movie you "enjoy," but it is extremely effective in depicting one boy's harrowing journey into the heart of war. While Agu's account is fictitious, his character's loss of innocence is entirely real for hundreds of thousands of other children across the globe. Tapping into that grim reality can be hard to watch...
- Max Nicholson
- 5 min
Oct 16, 2015 · Beasts of No Nation: Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. With Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitor, Andrew Adote. A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.
Oct 16, 2015 · Summary When civil war tears his family apart, a young West African boy is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters and transform into a child soldier. Drama. War. Directed By: Cary Joji Fukunaga. Written By: Cary Joji Fukunaga, Uzodinma Iweala.
