Could only find this thread on the movie so thought I would post my review of the film.
I only read the book recently and I have to say it is probably one of the best books I have read in a long time. I started to read it on a plane and could not put it down until I got to the end. It was emotionally draining to read (glad I was lying down so noone could see me
) and whilst there were a few coincidences which seemed a little too convenient on reflection, it did not detract from the overall story and theme. I simply could not get this book out of my head for days afterwards
Perhaps I needed a little bit of distance from the book before seeing the film, because I saw it a couple of days after reading the book and was quite disappointed. That is not to say that the film is bad, but it could have been so much better.
what was good - the actors were all excellent, especially the three child actors involved in the film. The kite flying sequences are fantastic and really capture the excitement of the event. The controversial moment in the film which has resulted in 2 of these actors fearing for their safety in their own country is sensitively handled.
Also loved the music of the film
the problem is the running time - this film needed more space to breathe. It is already quite a long film but it needed to spend much longer at the start of the film developing the relationship between the 2 boys and the environment they live in. This is what the book does so well and as a result you are far more emotionally invested in these characters when things go wrong. It would not surprise me if there was a longer cut because the scenes do not seem to flow naturally from one moment to the next - instead it feels like we are just getting enough to follow the plot. Certain key moments in the film are rushed through (e.g. a key line of dialogue "For you, a thousand times over", which links certain moments and really got to me in the book is given a perfunctory moment in the film which doesnt connect with the audience at all)
Finally there is a complete section of the book near the end that has been completely cut from the film Perhaps it was considered too upsetting (I remember my reaction when reading it) and would have probably resulted in a higher rating, but it is such an important part of the book. The result is that the film ends on a note that suggests everything is going to be ok - the book however leaves you with far more uncertainty - there is hope, but it doesnt necessarily mean it is going to turn out ok. Perhaps that is the nature of producing a Hollywood film of this book, but it made the film seem even more convenient than the book.
I would give this film 3 out of 5 because it is a good film, but would strongly recommend that people go out and read the book first before seeing this film.
I only read the book recently and I have to say it is probably one of the best books I have read in a long time. I started to read it on a plane and could not put it down until I got to the end. It was emotionally draining to read (glad I was lying down so noone could see me
) and whilst there were a few coincidences which seemed a little too convenient on reflection, it did not detract from the overall story and theme. I simply could not get this book out of my head for days afterwardsPerhaps I needed a little bit of distance from the book before seeing the film, because I saw it a couple of days after reading the book and was quite disappointed. That is not to say that the film is bad, but it could have been so much better.
what was good - the actors were all excellent, especially the three child actors involved in the film. The kite flying sequences are fantastic and really capture the excitement of the event. The controversial moment in the film which has resulted in 2 of these actors fearing for their safety in their own country is sensitively handled.
Also loved the music of the film
the problem is the running time - this film needed more space to breathe. It is already quite a long film but it needed to spend much longer at the start of the film developing the relationship between the 2 boys and the environment they live in. This is what the book does so well and as a result you are far more emotionally invested in these characters when things go wrong. It would not surprise me if there was a longer cut because the scenes do not seem to flow naturally from one moment to the next - instead it feels like we are just getting enough to follow the plot. Certain key moments in the film are rushed through (e.g. a key line of dialogue "For you, a thousand times over", which links certain moments and really got to me in the book is given a perfunctory moment in the film which doesnt connect with the audience at all)
Finally there is a complete section of the book near the end that has been completely cut from the film Perhaps it was considered too upsetting (I remember my reaction when reading it) and would have probably resulted in a higher rating, but it is such an important part of the book. The result is that the film ends on a note that suggests everything is going to be ok - the book however leaves you with far more uncertainty - there is hope, but it doesnt necessarily mean it is going to turn out ok. Perhaps that is the nature of producing a Hollywood film of this book, but it made the film seem even more convenient than the book.
I would give this film 3 out of 5 because it is a good film, but would strongly recommend that people go out and read the book first before seeing this film.
