'Beasts of No Nation': A beautiful film about a brutal subject

Beasts of No Nation

The producers of the new film Beasts of No Nation took a big risk by releasing their film simultaneously on Netflix and in select theaters (to qualify for Oscar nominations). I have mixed feelings about this becoming the future of movies -- I still love physically going to the theater, and I don't want to lose the magic of that experience.

Still, considering how challenging the subject matter is of this particular film, it's hard to imagine it becoming a crossover commercial hit. However, if audiences can watch the film at home at their own pace, at their own leisure -- it might get seen by a lot more people, and this is a movie that deserves to be seen.

Beasts of No Nation may be the most gorgeously photographed film of the year. It is occasionally quite harrowing, but it is also not relentlessly bleak and depressing. It's very elegiac and because it is viewed from the perspective of a child (the remarkable Abraham Attah), the motivations of the characters and the grander elements of the plot are not immediately clear.

It is ostensibly about a young boy who flees a violent takeover of his unnamed African community and who winds up getting turned into a child soldier by a profoundly manipulative "Colonel", played very effectively by Idris Elba.

The film does a remarkable job of portraying the indoctrination process, how Elba's character preys on the children's aspirations and insecurities in such a way that their humanity slowly slips away. The casting of Elba is crucial, because he is so charismatic and powerful a presence on screen that the vile nature of his character doesn't overwhelm you at first.

Attah also gives a powerful performance. He is haunting and conveys a wisdom beyond his years, not unlike Jacob Tremblay in Room. It's always an uphill battle for children to Oscar nominations, but this year, both boys have a real shot at it.

What is unfortunate is that apparently major theater chains are boycotting Beasts of No Nation. I understand the logic of this to a certain extant, because Netflix is a real threat to their future. And again, I can't express how much I hate the idea that someday all movies will be streamed instead of watched in a theater with an audience.

Beasts of No Nation works just fine on the small screen, but it is also worth buying a ticket to and seeing it in all its splendor on a large scale. It's yet another film that takes a seemingly unwatchable subject -- child soldiering -- and does find some hope and humanity on the edges. It's definitely worth a look.