Review of The Kite Runner (2007) by Queenella K — 07 Jun 2010

Directed by Marc Forster, best known for Monster's Ball (2001), Finding Neverland (2004) and Quantum of Solace (2008) and adapted from the bestselling 2003 novel by Khaled Hosseini is a touching though heavy going drama set behind enemy lines and highlighting the ongoing plight of the people of Afghanistan, but there is a sense of hope throughout the film.

It's about Amir (Khalid Abdalla), an Afghan who emigrated to America, back in Afghanistan when he was a boy (Zekeria Ebrahimi) he was friends with servants son Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) is a servants son in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, Hassan gets bullied, but Amir is there to protect him.

They fly kites together, but in 1979, the Soviets invade and are both seperated. As an adult, Amir hears that Hassan has been killed by the Taliban but he had a son, Sohrab (Ali Danish Bakhtyari), so Amir decides to risk his life and head back to his home country, into war torn Afghanistan to save his best friends son.

But he soon discovers more. It's a moving but well made story, with a good cast. The kite flying sequences are beautifully shot represent the hope these people have of better lives. Marc Forster is a brilliantly talented director, and there's better films to come from him methinks!!