As civil war rages in an unnamed African country, Agu tries his best to escape from his village. However, violence interferes with him and he enlists as a soldier. By order of the commander, he is forced to steal, pardon and kill…
While there are films that feature child soldiers in Africa, such as Lord of War or Blood Diamond, very few actually put this at the heart of their story; Like Johnny Mad Dog by Jean-Stephane Sauvière, which featured a 15-year-old stealing, robbing and shooting down anything that crossed his gang’s path in a country (Liberia) torn by civil war.
The first labeled film Netflix original Released in 2015, the platformer hit hard with Beasts of No Nation. Adapted from Nigerian-born writer Uzodin Iweala’s first novel about the murder of a soldier in a fictional West African country, the film is signed by a man who has been on the rise since its inception. From the True Detective series, Kari Joji Fukunaga, No Time to Die is an upcoming director.
Netflix also poached actor Idris Elba, who rose to fame after his performance in The Wire. Here, he plays a terrifying character, the commander of Agu. Slouched beret, glasses, field jacket open across the chest, he is the man who teaches a child what murder looks like. “when you fall in love”.
He stars opposite the excellent Abraham Attah, who, at 14 and in the lead role, slips into Agu’s clothes with surprising ease, forced to become a child soldier at the behest of a commander after his father’s death. The Ghanaian actor’s performance has been praised at many festivals where the film has been presented and even won a prize at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.
A scary and thrilling film whose darkness and violence are a hell of an uppercut.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
