Review of The Kite Runner (2007) by Lucy S — 12 Aug 2010

Boy oh boy, nothing says feel-good cinema like sodomy and the Taliban! And for that reason alone, such an end (feel-good) achieved after such means (yeech!), The Kite Runner proves to be a solid film. Acted to the tilt by non-marquee names and helmed by able hands, this searing drama-though not a direct bull?s eye-definitely hits the intended target. Tailored from the best-selling page-turner, the adaptation, though faithful, does not necessarily work on all levels in the cinema. The film works best when grounded in the culture, tradition, and history of an Afghan father and son rather than the hell raising, Hollywood, pot-boiling third act.

In the R-rated The Kite Runner, Amir (Abdalla) returns to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to rescue his childhood friend?s son after 20 years of living in America.

Though no single scene or shot stands out as something unforgettable, seemingly burned into the mind?s eye a day late, director Marc Forster keeps the action moving and filmgoers mostly vested in the story?mostly. Capturing the main roles with the intensity of exposed nerves, Toub and Abdalla (as father and son) truly give the audience something to remember. Child actors Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada and Zekiria Ebrahimi, however, bowl over all involved with their remarkably brave portrayals. The excellent character study solidified by these performances, however, becomes glossed over by a rabble-rousing cliff-hanging story arc that informs the last half of the film. Regardless of the novel?s intentions, The Kite Runner film suddenly becomes a different drama?not bad, just an awkward departure more suited for Jason Bourne.

Bottom line: Flies high--just not high enough.