About as unpleasant as any film can be.

Rating: 6/10 (28 February 2016)

I have seen several documentaries about the insane fighting throughout Africa, such as in the Congo. Rebel forces often consist of little more than private armies of mere children brainwashed into committing the worst atrocities. And, they long ago lost track of their goals of freedom or power--and are simply bend on destruction and death. The Netflix film "Beasts of No Nation" is a dramatization of such an army but the exact countries involved are never mentioned...and it could be one of several across the continent.
The film centers on a boy who appears to be about 8-10 years old, Agu. When the film begins, he's living in a zone controlled by the UN, though true to form the UN troops soon leave and the village is destroyed by government forces. Agu runs into the bush and eventually comes into contact with the rebel group, the NDF. This group is run by the Commandant (Idris Elba)--an awful combination of father, prophet, guru, rapist and the Devil. The process by which Agu is brainwashed and turned into a killing machine makes up the most of this film.
So is this any good? Yes and no. The film is very well made and compelling. But, it is also hellish and awful--so awful I cannot imagine anyone WANTING to see it. Viewing the film is more an endurance contest than anything else. In other words, can the viewer even watch it to the end since it's thoroughly unpleasant...so unpleasant that it makes "Hotel Rwanda" seem like a Disney film by comparison!! Pedophilia, rape, brutal murders and death...this is "Beasts of No Nation" in a nutshell. Documentaries on the same subject are easier to watch and just as informative.