The Kite Runner

Director: Marc Forster / Genre: Drama / Actor: Khalid Abdalla / Actor: Atossa Leoni / Actor: Shaun Toub / Actor: Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada / Year: 2007
Child Rape Pakistan Taliban Afghanistan Adaption Coming of Age DVD

The Film…
Though most of the film is set in Afghanistan, these parts were mostly shot in Kashgar, China, due to the dangers of filming in Afghanistan at the time.

The plot of the movie follows that of the novel. It tells the story of Amir, a well-to-do boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, who is haunted by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan, the son of his father’s Hazara servant. (cc) Wikipedia

My Thoughts…
Been interested in seeing this film since hearing some time ago about some rather intriguing business surrounding a child actor having to be relocated to another country due to stigma over being involved in this film. All very strange.

Any poop, this film is impressively multifaceted with several parts (separated by many years) and poignant imagery throughout. I cannot knock the film-making, pacing is spot-on and the recreated afghanistan pre-the russians mucking it all up is wonderful to see.

Only problem is I can’t help getting a general air of superiority on the american film makers part, it all becomes rather “oh thank god they escaped that nasty afganistan place to the paradise that is america where they can live in peace and freedom!” ‘Cos like no other country in the world, including ones rather closer to afganistan are free. I’ll give the film makers the benefit of the doubt (and the original author i guess) that this sentiment is un-intended, but I believes its rather naive for them not to see how it could come across that way.

My Rating:90