Review of Beasts of No Nation (2015) by Anthony B — 18 Oct 2015

I found Beasts of No Nation, Netflix's Oscar-worthy feature based on Uzodinma Iweala's critically-acclaimed novel, hard to watch in places. I knew it wouldn't be easy: after all, it's about African child soldiers.

Agu (the non-actor Abraham Attah), the lone survivor of a family massacre in a brutal civil war, is press-ganged by rebels led by the charismatic Commandant (Idris Elba) of a ragtag army of gun-toting boys.

Agu quickly adapts to his new surrogate family and is soon tested by having to kill an innocent civilian up close, in cold blood. Of course, I knew this was coming. There can be nothing more depraved in our sick world than forcing a child to kill.

Ironically, child soldiers are feared as ruthless fighters, since they have become morally numb. Emmy award-winning director Cary Joji Fukunaga has recreated the ultimate failed state in ramshackle Africa.