MovieChat Forums > Beasts of No Nation (2015) Discussion > Macbeth - shows us evil

Macbeth - shows us evil

posted 9 years ago by ghtx
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After seeing this movie, I thought of a quote from the fantastic TV show about Shakespeare, "Slings and Arrows" (see if if you haven't already). In season 2 they are performing Macbeth, and two of the characters have the following exchange (quotes from Wikiquote):
"I do not like that play. It teaches us nothing."
"It teaches us about evil."
"No! It shows us evil."

This is how I felt about "Beasts of No Nation." It documented the horrendous situation of child soldiers, but I am not sure that it had much (or anything) to say about it. I am comparing it to other movies about horrible atrocities - e.g. "Schindler's List," "The Pianist," "Saving Private Ryan" - it seems like although those movies were also hard to watch, they had something about them that made them tolerable. This film just seemed to me like punishment to the viewer. Maybe it is important to document these atrocities, but I would have liked to have seen more from this film.

[–] GhostUtmost 9 years ago

It doesn't really need a "stay in school kids" tagline.

I don't think Agu has a choice here. He can run about in the jungle hoping to avoid the various threats but it was clear that he didn't even know what to eat. If he would have told the soldiers he joined up with "I am a good guy. I can't roll with you" he would have been food. Maybe literally.

I think the point of this story is: this is how a child soldier is made. We hear about them and we shake our little fists at the Universe for allowing such things, but this takes the lid off the box and let's you see what's inside.

Less good vs evil and moreso super hi res portrait.