Beasts of No Nation. 2015
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
Starring Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, Emmanuel Nil Adom Quaye, Kurt Egylawan, and Opeyemi Fagbohungbe
SYNOPSIS:
A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.
As part of Agu’s (Abraham Attah) inauguration into child soldier rebel-hood, his Commandant (Idris Elba) hands the young boy a machete, passionately encouraging him to build up the emotional and physical willpower to raise it over his head and swing it downright into another man’s skull. It’s a sickening, ritualistic rite of passage for Agu, but what other choice does he have? With his home attacked, mother shipped off to safety, and rest of his family brutally murdered at point-blank range in cold blood, Agu is quick to join the cause of a rebel militia faction for multiple reasons; ideally he would like revenge on those that took away his family, but also to serve a purpose in life. even if unequivocally misguided.
And that’s the harshest reality on display in Beasts of No Nation; a young boy in an unnamed West African country has been robbed of a normal life. Simply put, he is a beast without a just cause thanks to manipulation of innocence and blindly following orders from a man glorifying war and freedom to his young impressionistic mind. With no family to come home to and eat a nice dinner alongside after getting some fresh air outside and playing with friends, what else is there to lose from signing up to fulfill a patriotic duty that, while possibly could lead to vengeance, will mostly just lead him in circles? This is the harrowing and downright haunting story of a typical child soldier, and while Idris Elba may play the morally corrupt, disgusting, yet oddly admirable in his jingoism Commandant, this is Agu’s tale first and foremost.
Directed with the signature style of True Detective season one’s show-runner Cary Joji Fukunaga, there are many sensory scenes full of visually striking jungle environments to soak in, which make it all the more hurtful when Agu gives a monologue expressing how he wants to choke out the sun from shining on the land he drifts through as an adolescent warrior, because according to him the things they are doing are so terrible they should be shrouded in darkness, or at the very least, anything but light. Fukunaga’s sharp writing delivers a poetic script full of narrative exposition from the perspective of Agu that lets viewers into a tortured soul, and one that faces increasingly gritty physical and mental abuse daily.
It’s also worth noting that he once again employs a couple of lengthy tracking shots, one of which for the most relentlessly violent stomach churning scene in the movie. Production design is also magnificent, displaying raggedy wardrobes and war-torn appearances juxtaposed with the beauty of nature. Finally, the original score creates a very kinetic and hallucinatory atmosphere in line with the idea of these children becoming brainwashed killing machines.
Obviously, as part of a rebel militia Agu’s primary objective is to transform into an emotionally crippled, lifeless, robotic murderer conditioned to kill in the name of false hope. However, he faces so much more trauma, such as gunpowder being sniffed as an alternative of cocaine to give a blood rush and adrenaline boost during the heat of battle. There is a horrifying scene where groups of children are lined up and shot with blanks to instill the belief that they are invincible and will never face death. Some of this isn’t even the worst Agu faces; that is reserved for the molestation at the hands of his Commandant, not because he is a sexual predator, but due to the fact that the young boy is the only other submissive option with women absent. If it sounds like I just gave away a majority of the brutality, trust that I didn’t. Beasts of No Nation is a 137 minute film that jumps from one disturbing scene to the next.
Beasts of No Nation is that rare monster of a film that is incredibly difficult to watch, yet impossible to look away from. Alongside the taboo subject material are powerhouse performances from everyone involved, with Abraham Attah and Idris Elsa deserving Oscar nominations for the Lead and Supporting categories respectively, ensuring you will never forget this movie.
It’s not a preachy film pushing viewers to get off their asses and go do something about these very real-life occurrences, but rather a brutally honest look at what goes on that will forever be seared into your cerebral cortex. There is no cliché Hollywood ending or predictable outcomes, as the movie largely subverts conventions to go for an ending more in line with reality. It’s up to you whether to hate certain characters or not, or decide if hope remains after all of the horror, but what is objective is that Beasts of No Nation is one of 2015’s very best films. I don’t know if the Academy will overcome their egos to place votes for a film released on Netflix, but they should, because it deserves countless awards.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=GIxhevaIcbw
Originally published October 19, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
