Beasts of No Nation
Composite Score: 82.57
Starring: Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ama K. Abebrese, Kobina Amissah-Sam, Grace Nortey, Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye, Kurt Egyiawan, and Idris Elba
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Writer: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Genres: Drama, War, Tragedy
MPAA Rating: R
Box Office: $90,777 worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Beasts of No Nation is the 2015 Netflix film based on the novel of the same name by Uzodinma Iweala. It follows the fictional story of Agu, a boy living in a West African country in the midst of a civil war who ends up pressed not service in one of the factions as a child soldier. The film draws attention to the plight of child soldiers in a dramatic way, showcasing the abuse and danger they are forced to endure in order to survive their difficult situations. At the same time, the film is also a coming-of-age story, focusing on a very specific brand of masculinity that is represented in the character of the Commandant, played by Idris Elba. The ambitious film remains incredibly poignant and impactful now seven years after its original release.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Because this film is based on a fictional account with no major specifics, it causes a problem for its own messaging, allowing people to write off its content as fictional without pondering it much more deeply. The issue of child soldiers is obviously one that most people should want solved, and it’s one that a good portion of Western culture is already aware of, which works even further against the film’s core message. Because it ends without any true solution presented, the film has to rest on its action, performances, and headier themes to compel its audience rather than the very obvious message of solving the child soldier crisis. It’s possible that this was done intentionally, due to the controversy surrounding the “Kony 2012” movement at the time, but now, it feels more like a detriment to what is otherwise a great film that its central topic serves not as a theme but more of a gimmick.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
I want to start by praising the performances of both Abraham Attah as Agu and Idris Elba as the Commandant. Both actors carry this film from start to finish. Attah’s Agu runs the full gamut of a brutal coming-of-age tale. From the opening scenes of causing trouble in his village with other children to his escape from the military to his role as a personal aide to the commandant to his eventual escape back into “civilized” society, the audience is enraptured by both his performance on the screen and his voiceover narration that carries through consistently. Attah’s showcasing of Agu’s tragic growth from mischievous child to someone with wisdom and experience beyond their years still in the body of a child speaks to fantastic skill on the part of one so young. Attah’s consistency from start to finish is only matched by Elba’s intense charisma in his moments of screentime. Elba’s Commandant is the embodiment of many types of problematic cultural norms (both Western and Eastern) regarding masculinity and a dangerously charismatic aspiring military leader rolled into one. His performance is chilling as he trains his soldiers to fight fanatically for him through manipulation, both verbal and physical. His charisma is undeniable, and Elba received a SAG Award for his performance, which leaves you pondering well after the credits roll.
Though its exploration of its central issue is somewhat lacking, the way that Beasts of No Nation critiques unhealthy masculinity and the dangers of demagoguery is beautifully done. By centering its critique around a character played by an actor like Elba, it allows the audience to also be briefly sucked in along with Agu, wanting to trust him because he offers an escape but knowing that his path leads only to problems and hurt at the same time. This seems to mirror what the filmmakers want the audience to engage with after they leave the film – recognizing such characters and/or practices in their own life and having the maturity and bravery to cut them out, as Agu did, and continue to live life and learn and grow beyond.
As a well-crafted study of masculinity and dangerously charismatic leaders, Beasts of No Nation shines thanks to strong performances from both Abraham Attah and Idris Elba, who help the film communicate its message effectively and make it one of the Greatest Films of All Time. Though its engagement with the issue of child soldiers remains only surface level, the rest of the film’s content is more than worth watching. This film is currently available to stream on Netflix if you are interested in checking it out.
