A harrowing, yet breathtaking masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2015)

I've always admired Cary Fukunaga's style of filming since his first feature 'Sin Nombre.' And I was so glad that people were able to experience the skills he has after his breakout hit in television with 'True Detective.' However, 'Beasts of No Nation' boasts more to Fukunaga that 'True Detective,' 'Sin Nombre,' and 'Jane Eyre' were not able to. Fukunaga shows his humanistic nature and masterful skill of film through the mise-en-scene. He utilizes the camera to evoke the darkest parts of humanity through the colors, the emptiness of the set pieces, and the vulnerability of the actors (particularly Abraham Attah). Though the structure of the script differs from the novel it's based on, the essence of Uzodinma Iweala's words are clearly present in the best way possible. The elements of the film are also exemplary such as the eerie synthetic score, the mostly hand-held camera-work, and the editing (particularly a sequence that dazzles when the natural color of the environment fades into a sobering pink). And it would be a crime to not mention Idris Elba's transformative performance (which will leave viewers eager to see more of his talent in the future). Much like 'Sin Nombre,' this is a brutally honest depiction of the nature of violence that never ceases to make you feel uncomfortable and horrified (though it it is not as explicit as 'True Detective'). Fukunaga is not just a talented filmmaker, but he is also a sympathetic anthropologist and a culturally-engaged humanist who seeks to learn more about people and to let the world know what they are ignorant of.