Review of The Kite Runner (2007) by Holly C — 25 Dec 2017

Cried reading the book, Cringed watching the movie.

I'm not one of those people who, having read the book prior to a movie adaptation, does not try to judge & experience a movie on it's own merit. I even found quite a few movies equal to or dare I say, better, than their source material. When it comes to the Kite Runner, however, I'm very saddened to say that it falls far far away from the book or even it's "Heart & Soul".

The film does not encourage you to build or foster a relationship with Amir or Hassan... it starts off well enough but then, very much like the Concords that have been grounded in france, it zooms right past all the necessary character development and history that follows. Without which, it's nearly impossible to care for any of the characters. You simply focus on the atrocities, cruelties, and the injustices that occur.

Some of the visuals are appealing. The film does not take enough time to render the city fully, which I believe is also a character in the book.

Everything seems forced, the acting, the scenes... it all seems stitched together in a rushed Frankenstein manner... I truly wanted to like the film, but just like the many losing kites in it, as soon as it takes flight the cord is cut and it falls to an untimely death.

I truly hope another adaptation or take on the book will be attempted. Heck, even if it means it'll have to be turned into a trilogy or a min-series I'll watch it!