Beasts Of No Nation is the film adaptation of the 2005 book of the same name. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, this movie is an uncompromising look at the phenomenon of child soldiers in Africa. Fukunaga doesn’t pull any punches with his harrowing portrayal of the young soldiers. Nor does he ask the audience to condone any of their actions.
The director has done a fine job capturing the chaos of war and the beauty of Africa. Although, the film was criticised for giving little exposition to explain the conflict. Even so, the movie is all the better for this approach. As it adds to the sense of confusion and mayhem in which the main protagonists find themselves. Abraham Attah gives a mesmerizing performance as the boy soldier and Elba is menacing as the ‘Commandant’ of the rebel unit.
Many of the film's scenes are deeply uncomfortable to watch. Beasts Of No Nation shows how child soldiers quickly become desensitized to the atrocities surrounding them. Killing, sexual assault and violence become normalized in the crazed world of the African warlords.
It’s fair to say this is an unconventional war film. Yet, fans of the genre will find it an original and moving story. The powerful performances of Elba and Attah are unmissable. Beasts Of No Nation is a monster of a movie.
