The Kite Runner

source: The Kite Runner

source: The Kite Runner

A fairly solid, mildly gripping drama dealing mainly in the unique perspectives of two Afghani children, The Kite Runner nonetheless feels overextended in it's third act and a tad unbelievable with some of the moral complexities which drive the film. Adapted from the novel by Khaled Hosseini, the movie did feel slightly less genuine then it should have in the hands of Marc Forster-an odd choice for directing, but not a surprising one, given the massive number of Middle Eastern-themed films targeted at American audiences being released over the next few years. Despite some strong performances by most of the cast, including these two young children who guide the film's heart in the beginning and a dominating, charismatic turn by Homayoun Ershadi as one of the boy's fathers, the main character in The Kite Runner (relative newcomer Khalid Abdalla) simply does not exude the quiet strength needed to demonstrate his character's commitment, instead appearing rather puny and taking the overall thematic integrity from being emotionally involving to simply being interesting from afar.

If you see the early reviews of The Kite Runner you will notice their author all say the same, this film has a very silly plot and has a unbearable main character. Then suddenly people are all raving about how good the film is, how powerful it is that's what we call hype. Why? Because it's ubersentimentalist, an easy tear jerker with a pleasing happy ending. It appeal to the worst feeling in a human soul, I'm not buying that, I won't cry because I'm asked to. Sorry but I'd rather watch a soap opera than sit through that awful film again this film contains a disgusting rape scene involving children, this director obviously never heard about dignity, decency and subtleness. The actor involved in the filming of that scene was apparently not told we would be part of that scene and how it would be done and ended up suing the director with his parents. It also have CGI kites with one of the kite having a face, how ugly and stupid is that! And the worse is an unbelievable plot where a coward who could not prevent his friend from being raped and fled to America as soon as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan but returns to save the same friend's son to his worst enemy who happen to be the guy who raped his friend and now rape his son and make him dance in woman clothes. At the end he takes his friend son in the USA to adopt him and guess what? Him and his wife could not have kids. This story even written by a non American writer has a very Hollywoodian construction and not a very good one. Go and see Persepolis

I went to see this movie mainly because I always listened good reviews about the book, since I had little time to check the book its self, I decided to check the movie. Imagine my surprise when I realize that the movie was the worst movie that I had ever watched. First of all, the lack of charisma of the main character ruined the movie, you could easily see him as that spoiled, stupid kid during the whole movie. sure it was beautiful to see him paying for his mistakes, but god, that didn't make up for the fact that he ruined a child's life. Reading the book would have been easier, since it wouldn't be as heavy as the movie, and since I probably would have made the best of it in my head, but I can not regret more for the 2 hours wasted watching the movie, I must say, Amir is worst than Hassef, because Hassef did bad things for Hassan, but still, he didn't ruined his life, he didn't putted a watch under his pillow... and didn't throw bad tomatoes at him, and Amir did this because of? because Hassam defended him till the last draw, I mean, this movie is way too heavy for my head... and don't think I am a spoiled adult, I know many children go through the same everyday there, but still, gosh, those scenes were harsh to take it. I totally hated the movie, the soundtrack couldn't have been worse, Amir couldn't have played his role worse, I mean, I totally wish you don't have to watch this movie, because its something not very easy to deal with. One positive thing: the end was good, almost make up for the worst movie ever.

In the 70's in Afghanistan, the Pushtun boy Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi) and the Hazara boy Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada), who is his loyal friend and son of their Hazara servant Ali (Nabi Tanha), are raised together in Amir's father house, playing and kitting on the streets of a peaceful Kabul. Amir feels that his wise and good father Baba (Homayoun Ershadi) blames him for the death of his mother in the delivery, and also that his father loves and prefers Hassam to him. In return, Amir feels a great respect for his father's best friend Rahim Khan (Shaun Toub), who supports his intention to become a writer. After Amir winning a competition of kitting, Hassam runs to bring a kite to Amir, but he is beaten and raped by the brutal Assef (Elham Ehsas) in an empty street to protect Amir's kite; the coward Amir witness the assault but does not help the loyal Hassam. On the day after his birthday party, Amir hides his new watch in Hassam's bed to frame the boy as a thief and force his father to fire Ali, releasing his conscience from recalling his cowardice and betrayal. In 1979, the Russians invade Afghanistan and Baba and Amir escape to Pakistan. In 1988, they have a simple life in Fremont, California, when Amir graduates in a public college for the pride and joy of Baba. Later Amir meets his countrywoman Soraya (Atossa Leoni) and they get married. In 2000, after the death of Baba, Amir is a famous novelist and receives a phone call from the terminal Rahim Khan, who discloses secrets about his family, forcing Amir to return to Peshawar, in Pakistan, in a journey of redemption. I am not familiar with the Afghan culture and I did not read this novel in spite of the recommendation of my daughter, and yesterday I decided to watch this movie on DVD. I found a good story of loyalty, cowardice, betrayal and redemption, with a brief insight in the recent history of Afghanistan, from a peaceful period in the 70's to the present days with the Taliban. The actors and actresses have great performances, giving credibility to the realistic story. The arid locations in China recall the images we see in television from Afghanistan. In the end, I found "The Kite Runner" a good movie. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "O Caçador de Pipa" ("The Kite Chaser")

Having just read the book and a day later watched the film I can tell you I was severely disappointed. To be fair there was quite a bit to shoehorn into the film and as a result the film moved at an amazing pace compared with the book. Plenty was left some of it quite important in my opinion. A good example - Hassan actually had an operation for his birthday present from Amir's father to correct his harelip not a kite! I think because so many of the scenes in the film were very short as they were trying to fit so much into the film there is little time to engage with the characters and have any emotional attachment to them. This made the film almost not caring about its purpose. The emotion of the book never appeared in the film. I was not upset or distressed at all. I should have been. The truth of the tale is devastating. But the actors didn't seem engaged in the weight of their portrayal. In short PLEASE READ THE BOOK! The film is weak and soulless.

This really is a film of two halves. The first detailing the lives and friendship of two boys (one a privileged Pashtun and the other a down-trodden Hazara) in late 70s Afghanistan before the invasion by the USSR works extremely well. The young actors turn in convincing performances and seeing Afghanistan as it once was throws the present situation there into stark relief. The real problem comes when we move into the later phase of the story where we join the Pashtun as a man living in America. Ancient debts to his young friend lead him to return to his homeland and it is really at this point that things break down. The central adult character is clearly supposed to be sympathetic, but in fact comes across as wimpish and wallowing in self pity. It is hard to really care for him and one cannot help but feel that the really interesting story is the one we do not get to see - that of his boyhood friend. Once he returns to Afghanistan the narrative becomes bogged down in a series of highly contrived coincidences. Most remarkably he manages to come across his childhood enemy after all these years almost immediately (even though he is not looking for him), despite the chaos that has since consumed the country. This enables him to confront past demons in a way that is simply too convenient to be credible. The resolution of the narrative is also run through with an awful, mawkish sentimentality which undermines any really serious points the film may be trying to make. Although it is possible to start seeing characters and the abuses of their lives as symbols of a state which has been torn apart by world politics it is hard to really see this as a film which engages with any wider political discussion. Instead the narrative becomes reduced to one character's emotional journey of self discovery and healing. Unfortunately this character is so dull and wrapped up in himself that it is hard to really become engaged in his story, while opportunities to make a really interesting film about Afghanistan itself are wasted.

Okay, so this contains spoilers, so if you have not seen it, look away or actually do not bother to watch this film at all and this is why.... Tell me, how can the main protagonist walk into a Taliban Camp, unarmed, with a fake beard, demand to be given a 10 year old boy that has been sodomized and raped and made to be a dancer his whole life, by...now get this, getting found out, having his beard ripped off, being almost beaten to death by the Taliban Boss...only to escape by the little boy victim suddenly changing from a puppet who is scared and helpless, to pull out a sling shot and knock out the Taliban leader in one shot, by taking out is eye, in sudden heroic style and run out with his wounded protagonist, being chased by armed Taliban firing machine guns, be able to get into only Jeep unharmed and get this, get across the Afghan border! Oh come on. Why insult us the viewers????