the unnamed spoils of war

Rating: 8/10 (19 August 2016)

A very painful movie to sit through. Not because that it is bad, not at all. It was a very magnificent film. However some of the scenes and the things that the main protagonist, a child: Agu was put through and experiences is at times hard to watch. However unreal these things are it is hard to believe that in fact the film only reflects reality, the stone cold truth of some of these more rural regions in the world where political corruption, warlords, guerrilla warfare and child soldiers are a reality.
This is a visually stunning film, completed with powerful lines delivered brilliantly by the cast. Abraham Attah who played Agu was a definite highlight in the film. Along with Idris Elba who gave a wonderfully disturbing performance. I think that it is very interesting that this whole event is set in an unnamed country and Idris Elba's character was simply named, 'commander'. In fact other than Agu I don't think there are any characters with a 'real name' they are either unnamed or has some sort of an alias. This to me has very special implications, it is a very interesting choice made I believe to represent that these people are simply, 'the spoils of war' those who are never going to be known or seen by the world. Which makes all of them and their experiences all the more meaningful.
Oddly I would say that this film is a coming of age story. But instead of slowly gradually understanding how the world works through meaningful and enriching experiences, we have this character who is basically forced to grow up, he is thrown into a world of drugs, violence and death. At the end of the day he realizes that he can no longer return to his childhood he has lost that childish innocence.
"I saw terrible things... and I did terrible things. So if I'm talking to you, it will make me sad and it will make you too sad. In this life... I just want to be happy in this life. If I'm telling this to you... you will think that... I am some sort of beast... or devil. I am all of these things... but I also having mother... father... brother and sister once. They loved me." This is a modern war film that reflects 'war' in this modern day and depicts the very true aspects that are ironically not seen or known by many. In many ways the character of Agu and the many child soldiers in these more rural areas are much more experienced.
This is a visually stunning film, completed with powerful lines delivered brilliantly by the cast. Abraham Attah who played Agu was a definite highlight in the film. Along with Idris Elba who gave a wonderfully disturbing performance. I think that it is very interesting that this whole event is set in an unnamed country and Idris Elba's character was simply named, 'commander'. In fact other than Agu I don't think there are any characters with a 'real name' they are either unnamed or has some sort of an alias. This to me has very special implications, it is a very interesting choice made I believe to represent that these people are simply, 'the spoils of war' those who are never going to be known or seen by the world. Which makes all of them and their experiences all the more meaningful.