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Every now and then a film comes along that captures the true essence of personal redemption. We all know what it is like to fail miserably. The statement, all have sinned and fall short, is exact and unwavering. The problem is that none of us ever get the opportunity to make it up to those we sinned against. Sure we can apologize and cause no future wrong, but that is the normal limit.  In The Kite Runner the main character gets the chance
to "be good again" and it is a passionate story of that journey. Filled with Oscar winning performances The Kite Runner soars higher than any foreign
language film in years. 

The story covers 20 years or so in the life of Amir (Khalid Abdalla) from his early days in Afghanistan to his current life in the states. As he reflects back on his childhood and his best friend Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) we see a tale of friendship, loyalty and betrayal. Hassan is the son of Amir's father's servant and the young boys spend their days flying kites in their peaceful hometown. Due to wars both personal and political they are soon separated and we pick up the story in later years with Amir having to return to a Taliban ruled Afghanistan in order to save the son of his childhood friend. Along the way we get a brilliant look at a culture much different than our own. From Amir and his fathers escape to Pakistan to flee the Russian invasion, to the ceremony of courtship and marriage.

This film is brilliantly written and the acting is flawless. The young Hassan will capture your heart from scene to scene. The cast includes many unknowns to American audiences yet each one delivers a memorable performance. The cinematography too is well done. From the Afghanistan in
the '70's to the modern day Taliban-affected country each location adds a feel and element to the story. You sense the same dejection that Amir does
as you see a homeland desolate and far removed from what it once was. I found myself thinking of how blessed we are in the states and what a
privilege it is to offer a haven to those who have no hope. 

The Kite Runner is Rated PG-13 for strong thematic material including the rape of a child, violence and brief strong language. Keep in mind that this
film is not made to offend but to tell a story. Of lives destroyed yet given a chance for renewal. The themes are heavy and the film is 90% subtitles so
younger viewers may have a hard time keeping up. For the rest it is a soul stirring film and a must see. I give the Kite Runner 4.5 out of 5. It drags
ever so slightly at the end and just a tick over two hours feels long. But that is no reason to not see this near perfect movie. Do not allow terms like arty, foreign and subtitles keep you from experiencing this story. You will certainly enjoy it, a thousand times over. 

Matt Mungle(12/14/07)

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and co-hosts a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies, with his wife Cindy.
For additional reviews, interview clips and great DVD giveaways, visit the website www.mungleshow.com

Review copyright 2007 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.

In America, we think of sports in terms of physical ability such as football, soccer, basketball or baseball. Other countries have sports that require agility with hands and fingers, that include kite flying. Afghanistan is such a country and in The Kite Runner you see how kite flying competitions are done, important maneuvers are learned and what happens if you are very good, but considered of a lower economic status. Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, is now on the screen and closely follows his best-selling novel. There was controversy about the release date of this movie because of a child molestation section in the book and the movie. Young actors portraying these characters, apparently, were at risk from a small group of social dissidents. The story is set in a time period that runs 20 years from childhood to adulthood, plus the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and rise of the Taliban. What does a promise really mean? Can it be forgotten or is it forever?
 
The story begins with the friendship of Amir (child actor Zekiria Ebrahimi) and the son of the family gardener, Hassan (child actor Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada). The boys compete in kite flying contests with Amir flying the kite under the direction of Hassan, who then finds the kite before it becomes broken. They are an unbeatable team, but have jealous rivals. Unfortunately, there is a traumatic incident involving Hassan and Amir does nothing. This causes a break in the friendship, on Amir’s part. Before long, Hassan and his father are gone, and in fact, everyone is beginning to leave Afghanistan as the Russians are invading. Amir and his father, Baba (Homayoun Ershadi) end up in San Francisco, where, through the years, they manage alright and Amir (played as an adult by Khalid Abdalla) goes to college, marries Soraya (Atossa Leoni) despite her father’s objections  and becomes a noted writer. Time passes, and Amir gets a note from an old family friend, Rahim Khan (Shaun Toub). Hassan’s son is in trouble and could Amir help? Here is the opportunity to make amends and the last half of the film has Amir traveling to a neighboring country, meeting with Rahim Khan and then going in disguise to Afghanistan to help Hassan’s son, a boy about ten years old.
 
The Kite Runner is an emotionally charged film. We see the devastation of an invasion and the aftermath when the invader is replaced by an even more despotic group. Village people are collateral damage as the factions fight it out. In the midst of this, are individual stories and here would be just one of them. The story of a traumatic incident and how the class system comes into play here is brought into the open. You know this happens, but it’s swept under the rug. Now, the rug is lifted for the world to see. From keeping secrets to bullying to trying to adapt to life in a new land, all is here. You don’t have to have read the book to follow the story, in fact, this is a good adaptation of the novel. 
 
Actors chosen for the roles are so natural you think you are watching a documentary. Khalid Abdalla’s Amir is a gentle person who has never had to be aggressive. Then comes a opportunity for him to make a judgment call and from that time on, his inner reserves come to light. You can see it on Abdalla’s face. Homayoun Ershadi as Amir’s father is a man of sorrows and as the story progresses, we see why. Atossa Leoni as the lone female actor plays a patient Soraya with a gentle heart. It is the young actors who portray Amir (Zekiria Ebrahimi) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada) you watch. They make the film. Their naturalness on screen leads the audience into the rest of the story and the kite flying scenes are breathless. 
 
I was caught up in the film from the beginning. I hadn’t read the book. There are certain surprises in the story, I did not see them coming and this is good. You see war from another viewpoint and that one’s homeland doesn’t necessarily have to have green grass and trees. It can have bare mountains, gravel roads and lots of kites.
 

Copyright 2007 Marie Asner
Submitted 12/21/07