A Touching War Film that Doesn't Quite Hit the Mark

Rating: 7/10 (30 December 2015)

War is a tough time for any nation, and especially any child. War can be an even more brutal affair if this child is left to fight in it. Beasts of No Nation tries to depict this and does so quite well. From its disturbing visuals to its increasingly touching dialogue, Beasts of No Nation depicts an African Civil war near perfectly; except for a few crucial aspects. Beasts of No Nation poorly displays its characters and gives them an unrealistic mindset. I will touch on this and many of the things that director Cary Joji Fukunaga does magnificently in this review. (note: this movie isn't a casual Saturday night film to watch drunk in your fraternity house eating cold cuts off of your stomach, it is quite deep and VERY disturbing.)
This film follows a young African boy named Agu (Abraham Attah). His village gets attacked, and he finds himself in the middle of a full out civil war. He joins the anti-government rebels (which don't fly X-wings) and becomes a child soldier in a battalion led by the malicious yet caring character of "Commandant" (Idris Alba).
While Attah's acting was above adequate, certainly for a child, I found that in certain scenes he lacked the drama and raw emotion that a young child would have during a war. He does, however, deliver very touching narration. In some films, narration is the director's cheap way of telling a story. In this one, it really added some much needed emotion to Agu. Alba, while not being as likable or witty a character as in The Wire, still delivers as Commandant in this film. Towards the start of the film he is portrayed as a legend, immune to danger or fear. However, as this film progresses, Commandant's flaws begin to show, and Alba captures this perfectly (and rocks that African accent).
The action sequences are fine. They really brought nothing new to the table, but instead of seeing Bruce Willis taking down bandits left and right, we are shown fearful children with guns fighting for what they believe in, which was refreshing. Additionally, not every action scene was intended to gather pity, which I liked. If you are going to include an action scene in something described as a "war movie", it better be adrenaline filled. Beasts of No Nation delivers on this front.
This brings me to my favourite aspect of this film: the "in between" scenes. In between the large and tough battles that Agu's battalion goes through, Fukunaga does us the favour of showing us how these "soldiers" live life. Here we are exposed to what hints at slight character development (something this movie really lacks), the disturbing atrocities committed by both Commandant and the rest of the battalion, and the brilliant narration given by Agu.
With all of this in mind, it will be shocking to know that my biggest complaint with this film is it is hard to care about many of the characters. I don't mean to sound like a heartless Sith Lord, but I really couldn't get invested enough in Agu's character to truly sympathize with him. I did indeed wonder why I had this mindset, and even worried at one point. Then I came to a conclusion. Fukunaga's focus on creating disturbing scenes and decent action sequences led him to neglect character and context of the story.
I feel that had act one been slightly longer, we could have gotten to know Agu and his family a lot more. As a result we care for them a lot more. Had Agu's thought process been slightly more childish and innocent towards the start of the war, it would better highlight his loss of innocence as the war unfolded. I also feel that had we been given more historical background and information on the war being fought, we would better understand the situation of this African country (which I don't even remember having a name the movie!).
So do I recommend you watch this? Sure, if you are willing to excuse unrealistic character and accept it as more of a war story and less of a drama. (which I don't mind!) Hey, maybe I am a Sith Lord and have no heart, so if you enjoy the drama in this movie, I am jealous of you!
Grade: B+ (7.3/10)