This is a wonderful moving Mexican movie and it's not a surprise considering that the American neighbor prefers lately to make war movies that glorify their own army and thus totally blind to the fate of the helpless population.
At last here, the first evidence of war is dramatically illustrated: it's a meaningless butchery! The opening of the movie is the perfect proof of that: children captured by soldiers! I wait the argument explaining that yes, children are threats and that yes, soldiers must obey all orders! It's such silly and shameful reasons that build the road for war and that extinguish the best of our humanity! All along the movie, disasters and pain grow endlessly and it was really hard to witness all those tragedies!
Beyond the war drama, the movie is also an incredible story about childhood: it's funny to see that children look the same all over the world and whatever they have or not a peaceful, comfortable environment. They just need love, friends, education and fun! It was an eye opener to discover that the village was highly striated with the privileged families (his girlfriend) that lives in plain houses and the poor ones that have only in small huts or cabins. But, in the end, at school, they were all equals as they wear the same uniform and between them, they don't make differences.
Technically, if the rhythm is sometimes a bit slow, the director offers good visuals. And the cast is just amazing: Leonor is courageous loving single mother and all the kids are amazing.
I recommend highly this movie for those who seek a truthful drama that is everything except a political propaganda! In a way, it follows the path of "empire of sun", that is to say a crazy world felt trough the eyes of an innocent child!
At last here, the first evidence of war is dramatically illustrated: it's a meaningless butchery! The opening of the movie is the perfect proof of that: children captured by soldiers! I wait the argument explaining that yes, children are threats and that yes, soldiers must obey all orders! It's such silly and shameful reasons that build the road for war and that extinguish the best of our humanity! All along the movie, disasters and pain grow endlessly and it was really hard to witness all those tragedies!
Beyond the war drama, the movie is also an incredible story about childhood: it's funny to see that children look the same all over the world and whatever they have or not a peaceful, comfortable environment. They just need love, friends, education and fun! It was an eye opener to discover that the village was highly striated with the privileged families (his girlfriend) that lives in plain houses and the poor ones that have only in small huts or cabins. But, in the end, at school, they were all equals as they wear the same uniform and between them, they don't make differences.
Technically, if the rhythm is sometimes a bit slow, the director offers good visuals. And the cast is just amazing: Leonor is courageous loving single mother and all the kids are amazing.
I recommend highly this movie for those who seek a truthful drama that is everything except a political propaganda! In a way, it follows the path of "empire of sun", that is to say a crazy world felt trough the eyes of an innocent child!