Beasts of No Nation (2015)

A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.

Director:

Cary Joji Fukunaga

Writers:

Cary Joji Fukunaga (written for the screen by), Uzodinma Iweala (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitor

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 33 wins & 53 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abraham Attah	...	Agu
Emmanuel Affadzi	...	Dike
Ricky Adelayitor	...	Village Constable
Andrew Adote	...	Ecomod 2nd Lieutenant
Vera Nyarkoah Antwi	...	Little Sister
Ama K. Abebrese	...	Mother
Kobina Amissah-Sam	...	Father
Francis Weddey	...	Big Brother
Fred Nii Amugi	...	Pastor
John Arthur	...	Angry Bush Taxi Driver
Grace Nortey	...	Old Witch Woman
Emmary Brown	...	Grandfather
Nataliah Andoh	...	BBC Host
Matthew Mpoke Bigg	...	BBC Correspondent
Nana Mensah	...	Young Girl

Storyline

Follows the journey of a young boy, Agu, who is forced to join a group of soldiers in a fictional West African country. While Agu fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination Depicts the mechanics of war and does not shy away from explicit, visceral detail, and paints a complex, difficult picture of Agu as a child soldier.

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Plot Keywords:

child soldier | civil war | guerrilla warfare | boy with a gun | military convoy | 

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Taglines:

Child. Captive. Killer.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot over 35 days in Ghana.

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Goofs

When Preacher confronts the Commandant to say that he is leaving, the Commandant calls him Two I-C, who died earlier in the story.

This is not necessarily a goof. Two I-C is a rank (Second in Command), not a name. When the first Two I-C is killed, presumably on Commandant's orders, Commandant needs to delegate a new deputy leader and chooses Preacher. This is why Preacher's decision to leave carries such weight, and why he later opts to return to the bush.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Agu: It is starting like this.
[watching other children playing]
Agu: Let's keep looking. They aren't good enough.
Dike: Hey, let's take that girl.
Agu: Which one?
Dike: That girl. Zoey. Let's take her.
Agu: Ah... No. What about that one?
Dike: Him?
Agu: Yes.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #33.29 (2016)

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Soundtracks

A Song for Strika
by Dan Romer

User Reviews

'Beasts of No Nation' has the best performance by a child actor that I've ever seen.

Child actors are a dime a dozen, yet Abraham Attah is something else. He transcends the category and remains such a demanding presence throughout the entire film, matching even Idris Elba's poise. His character's transformation is just one of the remarkable feats of storytelling that Beasts of No Nation graces us. A gripping account of modern day war seen through a child's eyes, Beasts of No Nation is easily one of the best of the year.

The first thing you'll notice is how beautiful the film is. The stark landscapes of West Africa draw you in, and the color palette for the film is quite something. Director and cinematographer Cary Fukunaga makes sure you remember the reality of this not-so-fictional story, paralleling Agu's family life and how his world was flipped upside down when he joined a group of mercenary fighters. Initially, Agu has no choice and uses them as an escape and a way to reunite with his mother, but the ruthless commandant (Elba) changes him.

The writing is fantastic as you see the war through Agu's eyes, and it's not pretty. This kind of situation is almost completely unfamiliar for most audiences, and Fukunaga manages to supplement fear for grace. He never lets us forget the harsh realities of war, touching on familiar themes like family but going a step further by making it personal for Agu. As the film is his story through and through, the adult details of war are kept to a minimum. The audience is just like Agu, unaware of exactly why there is fighting but rolling with it because it's his only choice. There's no strategic battle scenes, no planning on a map or signing peace treaties, as we are thrust into moments just like Agu is.

When the violence does break out, it's brutal and harrowing. Young actor Attah is ferocious yet sympathetic, and he brings these battle sequences down to earth. The creative risks that Fukunaga takes with these sequences might come across as pandering, yet they make sense cinematically and come across as action poetry. There's a certain lyricism to the war torn villages and jungles of the continent, and it's beautiful and unforgettable.

There isn't much dialogue in the film, but when there is it's brilliant. The unnamed commandant's ideology becomes clearer as the film goes on, and it reaches a disturbing peak. Fukunaga contrasts him with the initially innocent Agu and the two are at odds yet retain respect for one another. There are times when Agu could simply point a gun at the commandant and be done with it, but there's a humanity to the film that respects all lives. War isn't pretty, and Beasts of No Nation knows that. Yet this risky piece of entertainment remembers to be a film first and everything else second. The result is a rhythmic work of art with one of the best young performances I've seen.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Akan

Release Date:

16 October 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beasts of No Nation

Filming Locations:

Ghana

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$51,003, 18 October 2015

Gross USA:

$90,777

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$90,777

Company Credits

Production Co:

Red Crown Productions, The Princess Grace Foundation, Participant

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1