Review of White Material (2010) by Alex G — 06 Jul 2010

I saw the trailer and thought 'hmm looks like a nice movie'' but slightly depressing and predicable.

Well in a way it is, but there nothing wrong with that, nah just kidding it's a a great movie here is why.

The movie is based in Africa and is based on a family who are extracting coffee from the land. Running a coffee plantation in the middle of nowhere but a deadly place.

You fell that they shouldn't be there, the opening scene sort of makes you fell that way. A French women in the middle of knowehere riding on the back of a bus that is crammed full of people.

The movie is a is a build up of tense scenes of a dangerous force that is trying to get them, and this beautiful coffee plantation is being deserted by the workers.

All the workers leave the coffee plantation and everyone is scared of the rebels. And you see glimpse of them. Some are little children and little girls this is the scariest image of all.

They are young and have no morals in a way they live a life with no rules and live by there own perverted rules, this is what life was like before law and any order, it is a world where no one cares or values human life a primitive way of living but exist in any society and culture. But where this movie is filmed your thrown into an untamed world, a place where the grass goes long and the people wild.

Back to the story the mother is determined to stand ground and stay. This is a very weird way to put your foot down and not leave even thought she is facing death in the face.

She believes that she is safe and it is her land, which to me is a real sign of ignorance, so many people go to war torn areas or dangers areas and believe that they are safe and 'untouchable'' yes you can be a victim of crime anywhere but why take the risk. It's s a cliche in a way, white family go to Africa to escape Europe and think that they will not be effected by the locals.

Her son in the story you see as a wonder, he takes naps and relatively easily, he hears some noises coming from the house and discovers what they are, he had been a victim of crime and the criminals little kids and they have run from there crime. So the son does the logical thing and follow him, he cuts his foot on the way and then the children stop him and make him a victim. This is also another singh on how pepole think that they are immortal, never chase crime or be a hero.

He is found naked and in shook, this experience appears to have scared him and he goes on the run. He fights fire with fire and becomes one of the rebels. He at this point has lost the plot and referred to half baked, a mad dog, a man with many thoughts going on in his head but not real direction and in a way we are all mad dogs at some stage and if we give into our perverse thoughts we go more towards madness which is seen at the end of the movie.

The movie brings up many points and shows some parts of Africa that do exist. Like in Slum dog Millionaire you can't deny the underworld they do exist and in a way this movie shows it as it is. There is one scene where the mother is at the chemist and there is a guard protecting the shop the clerk says he is not enough and later on you see he isn't. This is the sad thing that is happening there are few to many rebels and fewer people who are protecting.

In a way the women brings it open herself she is warned that she is in danger and everyone around her runs. You fell the tension to the 'whites'' and there are moments where you question how these things can happen in this world. This movie is a great movie for escapism beautifully shoot and has many layers and stories in it. It doesn't hold anything back.