Review of The Kite Runner (2007) by Hrushi D — 30 Dec 2009

...the problem with The Kite Runner is too much of something is always, always bad...

...taking into consideration let's say I have not read the book, I thought it is sincere in its storytelling provided a weak cast with bland acting and forced emotions...it redeems itself with its beautiful cultural scenics and fascinating traditions...it has an average cinematography and an ultimately weak photography...although I must say that "the kite flying sequence" is very well executed and the music all over is amazing...all throughout it has a few moments but that would not suffice to how the other elements perform...

....in the end The Kite Runner becomes a shortlived piece of a wasted "supposed-to-be-classic" film that is confused with its identity...if only it hadn't become too faithful to the book it would've been a different story...and speaking of the book, this is a film that has become a very underwhelming adaptation...the literature itself is a gem to read and given that span of time I would understand the difficulty of it being converted to a visual form...

....as i've said there is too much in it that suffocates the watcher who has read the book...it is too faithful that at some point it tends to get in a "cornyish" kind of way, it becomes unartistic and traditional, in a world of overlapping feature films and commercial movies "fresh" is a most welcome word to infuse among new films...

...i've appreciated the fact that it being too exact is a way to respect the book's readers but this time it has wasted a lot of good things, I would've replaced Amir's actor or most of the actors with a more capable one, I would've exploited the sensitivity of the issues and I would've invested in emotions, The Kite Runner is afteralll, a drama...

...i have not mentioned of what the story is all about because at this time probably most people know what it is but in a setting where war ravages, poverty strickens, terror is common, hope is forgotten and culture and patriotism is a colorful streak of light, and where the religion is sacred and chicken and lamb kabobs are delicious this one came out "serveable" but still half cooked...