THE KITE RUNNER

"For you, a thousand times over."

(Paramount Vantage)

Directed by: Marc Forster

Marc Forster has broken my heart twice, from Finding Neverland to this one, an honest tale about cowardice, betrayal and redemption especially when it involves a traumatic event during one’s childhood that will continue to haunt them to the rest of their lives. The kite fighting scene was beautiful, remind me of my own childhood when I use to play kite myself, although Indonesian plays a different kite than the Afghan in this film.

I haven’t read the book and watch this film without any foreknowledge at all and I found this film to be amazing, the child actors are natural and by setting this in pre-9/11 Afghanistan, the production provides the viewer with a gut-level perspective of how repressive the Taliban was.

The film begins in the era before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Childhood friends Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) are inseparable good friends despite their class differences - Amir is the son of a wealthy landowner and Hassan is the son of a servant. Such things matter little to the boys. They both are skilled in kite playing, in a scene depicting pre Soviet invasion of Afghanistan where the roads are colourful (which is changed into a desolate place as the Taliban reign), the kite fighting in the sky was depicted very convincing and plays a major role in this film. Then a terrible thing happened to Hassan and Amir, cowardly cannot do anything to save Hassan. Feeling guilty, Amir tries to redeem his sin badly. But the Soviet invasion changes their life.

Fast forward to 20 years later, Amir (Khalid Abdalla) is an author living in California with his wife, Soraya (Atossa Leoni). He receives a call from an old friend, Rahim Kahn (Shaun Toub), who urges him to return to Afghanistan. Amir is initially reluctant but eventually agrees. What he learns when he arrives not only shakes his belief but gives him a way to make good again.

The last part where Amir visit Afghanistan were very haunting, long gone those vibrant colours from the streets, even the trees in his former house were cut down. The Taliban are also worse, and one of them is from Amir’s past. The pic is authentic, given that most of its player is from Middle Eastern descent, so it gives a convincing nature. The song Supplication by Sami Yusuf add a beautiful end for the lack of moving (or sentimental) music score. Somehow this film lingers on my conciousness.

If only those Transformers fanatics able to watch this simple story, they would realize that Optimus Prime jaw dropping actions are more stupid than anything on this world and although I lived in a different culture than this film, I can root for the universal feeling of guilt and redemption.