Beasts of No Nation (2015)

For all its plaudits, this bombed at the box office. Some theaters declined to play it because it also went straight to Netflix streaming. Plus, I suspect that many prospective viewers were reluctant to watch such a dark story in an immersive environment with no pause option. Well, there's no better time for me to check out something bleak than right after a fun flick.

The film was shot in Ghana, with some lines in Krio and Twi, but honors its title by not specifying where in West Africa it's set. The decade is hard to guess too. Amid a civil war, prepubescent boy Agu (Abraham Attah) gets separated from some of his relatives and witnesses the killing of the rest. He runs into a rebel battalion, whose unnamed Commandant (Idris Elba) recruits him with an almost fatherly approach. That's not much if any better than wandering the wilderness alone....

Yes, Agu kills or joins in killing several helpless people, whether under orders or on his own initiative. His justifications are dubious at best, but I never got angry at him. Heck, I'm barely angry at any of the characters. The rebels could very well believe they're making the country better by countering totalitarian usurpers and avenging families. But that's no excuse for rapes (one line that Agu doesn't cross) and other attacks on those who show no sign of being a threat. Some of their atrocities are disturbingly creative.

Offhand, the only other screen depiction I've seen of African child soldiers was a few scenes of Blood Diamond. Here, of course, we get a more in-depth look at why Agu is prone to nightmares. He doesn't just observe and participate in R-rated violence; his own "allies" treat him badly with hazing, hard drugs, and worse. Perhaps his closest friend is Strika (Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye), who never speaks.

The plot comes from a 2005 book by Uzodinma Iweala, born to a Nigerian but raised in my hometown. If I hadn't checked, I could believe that it was nonfiction. That would certainly provide more vindication for a peaceful scene dominated by silent waiting.

I respect BoNN but hesitate to recommend it. It's arguably scarier than any of my Halloween viewings, and not in a pleasant way.