Writer/Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Starring: Idris Elba, Abraham Attah and Emmanuel Affadzi
‘A Meaningful Masterpiece’
Not many actors possess the charisma of Idris Elba. Ever since his rise to stardom during the 1990’s, Elba has become a celebrated icon in Hollywood. Whether it’s American gangsters, traumatized soldiers or frustrated fathers, Elba has portrayed strong characters. Arguably, his greatest strength as an actor has always been his strong commitment towards his craft. Elba has often poured his heart and soul into each role. Elba has often excelled playing troubled men that face a dilemma. The actor has never been afraid of taking risks in his career playing complex characters that aren’t often likeable. Through his ability to create strong characters that audiences can easily relate to, Elba has become a commemorated actor whose movies audiences value. A British icon that managed to accomplish great feats, Elba has become a star which audiences cherish. Throughout his long-lasting career, Elba has produced several unforgettable movies that are definitely worth talking about.
I’m a huge fan of Elba and adore all the films he has made in his career. However, “Beasts of No Nation” is my favourite. Since its release in 2015, Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film has stood the test of time as a masterpiece. With the finest film of his career, Fukunaga used captivating cinematic techniques to capture child soldiers in Africa facing despair. Packed with powerful production-design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best movies ever made about Africa. At the centre of it all is a phenomenal performance by Idris Elba, who portrayed a menacing war lord which recruits children for wars causing trauma. Ultimately, what makes “Beasts of No Nation” a timeless classic is its strong appeal. Unlike most films about African child soldiers, it tackles strong themes everyone would relate to. It delivers a meaningful message about genocides which would resonate with everyone. A mesmerizing masterpiece about African soldiers, there are several compelling reasons why “Beasts of No Nation” is worth seeing.
“Beasts of no Nation” tells the story about a child that seeks to become an African soldier. Abraham Attah portrays Agu, a young African boy with dreams of success. Agu’s dreams are true when he is given the chance to engage in festivities in a country he has grown to value. However, Ago’s dreams are shattered when he becomes a child deliver. Under the dictatorship of the evil Commandant (Idris Elba), Ago seeks to find his identity. The commandant is a cruel military leader leader seeking to swreisir As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Abu begins to wonder if it’s truly possible for him to achieve happiness in a war-torn country facing disaster.
Cari Joji Fukunaga is a newcomer towards the war genre. Before he directed “Beasts of No Nation”, Fukunaga had never made a good start lmovie about child soldiers in his career before. It was the filmmaker’s rise attempt to capture tension faced by African child soldiers that survive sad disaster but he succeeded immensely. Using strong cinematography, Fukunaga captures a child solider embarking on a journey to survive catastrophe. Evoking Edward Zwick’s “Blood Diamond”, Fukunaga effectively uses handheld camerawork to capture tensions child splicers in a dangerous country are facing. Throughout the movie, Fukunaga uses handheld camera to capture tensions faced by child soldiers living in Africa. For instance, the handheld camera elevates the home invasion scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Agu witnesses his dad being killed in an intense incidence of violence. Through handheld camera work, Fukunaga creates a character that audiences can easily relate to. Handheld camerawork is a tricky technique. As Paul Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips” suggested, handheld camerawork elevates movies about ship captains. However, it works well in this movie. Through captivating visuals, Fukunaga captures the hardships that child soldiers are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Beasts of No Nation” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely made. Emulating Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther”, Fukunaga effectively uses real-life African locales to child soldiers facing situations that are train. Instance, the African locales elevate the commandant acne. During his unforgettable aspect, Ago is introduced to the Commandant for the first time causing a disaster. One appreciates real life locations in Africa capturing complex child soldiers which face trauma. Through shooting in real-life locations across Africa, Fukunaga honours the history of a misunderstood country. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the movie a tense lived in atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that childs soldiers in a downtrodden country bear. Through phenomenal production design, Fukunaga captures the tension faced by commemorated African child soldiers whose downtrodden lives decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Beasts of No Nation” is a captivating classic about Africa that’s compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses voice-over narration to capture the tension faced by an African soldiers which face destruction. Fukunaga’s screenwriting strength is his ability to capture the tension faced by child soldiers in Africa through use of voice-over narration. Throughout the movie, Agu expresses views on the destructive nature of African genocide by voice over narration. For instance, the voice over narration enhances the head chopping scene. During this unforgettable scene, Agu expressed his sense of shock of having killed a man through emotional narration. Through ingenious narration, Fukunaga captures the lives of children soldiers in Africa which face tension. Narration is a tricky technique to use in films. As Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump” suggested, narration elevates commemorated movies about intellectual disabilities. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this film. Through a spectacular screenplay, Fukunaga captures commemorated child soldiers facing a price to pay.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Idris Elba delivers one of his greatest career performances as the commandant. Elba first earned appreciation for playing stylish spies in action movies. With “Beasts of No Nation”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t simple to portray a despicable African commandant that guides children to commit violence but he succeeded immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him in the past before: intense, charismatic and riveting in his most memorable role. With mesmerizing expressions, he captures the angst, grief and commanding nature of an African war leader guiding child soldiers to face disaster. It’s an extraordinary performance from one of the most commemorated actors that’s working in Hollywood today.
Abraham Attah is astonishing as a child soldier which participates in warfare causing trauma. In his first ever leading role, Attah embodied the personality of a conflicted child solider driven to achieve his goal. For a first time actor that had never been before a camera, Attah showcased immense charisma. Whether he is grieving loss of family killed in a genocide that is terrifying or questioning whether he should kill a soldier that’s confounding, Attach used his compelling body language to create a child solider which is compelling. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most celebrated child actors which is currently working in the film industry today.
Finally, “Beasts of No Nation” would earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing lives of child soldiers facing tension. Unlike most films about African child soldiers, it tackles strong themes everyone would relate to. It discusses timely themes such as identity, genocides and trauma which resonate with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with the history of Africa to appreciate it. It delivers a meaningful message about the consequences of war that are faced by children that would resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Beasts of No Nation” is one of those rare commemorated films about child soldiers that everyone would adore.
Fans is Idris Elba would definitely appreciate “Beasts of No Nation” and so will movie-goers seeking heartfelt entertainment. A captivating historical drama, it celebrated an actor with charisma in America.
Nearly a decade following the release of a groundbreaking film about child soldiers facing tension that are trained to become beasts of no nation, it’s a riveting reminder of an African-American actor with strong dedication towards his craft that has gained huge following for his abilities to portray compelling characters in unforgettable movies which are definitely without a single doubt absolutely worthy of celebration.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 