This is true war.

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 2008)

This story is not about war in its' stereotypical sense. Though yes, the main conflict is of an ideological, religious, and nationalistic nature, it is not a war of such. Rather it is a war of the human mind and soul, more specifically, a young boy's mind and soul as he witnesses the atrocity of actions committed with no legitimate reasoning.
This is made all the more haunting by the realism conveyed in this film. Thanks to the desire to create the most realistic portrayal possible, nearly everything was filmed as is - you will feel as if you are there, (and, at some points in the film, you actually may be). There are no stand-ins; the actors actually did this during filming. Therefore, every image is that much more haunting because you feel a direct connection to the characters.
It's a shame this isn't one of the more well known war films to the general public. It's easy to see why not - this is not about spectacle, explosions or patriotism. This is about trying to escape war physically while realizing that mentally and emotionally - it is a black hole from which there is no escape.