SUBSCRIBE2 child soldier movies
Two wonderful but disturbing movies mark Blood Diamond and Innocent Voices conflict and the use of innocent children to fight a grown up’s war.
Blood Diamond - Edward Zwick, 2006
As the movie says it, the booming diamond trade is partly financed by the blood and innocence of a long oppressed people whose blood is spilt on the earth of Africa to finance their respective and equally dictatorial and brutal governments for the consumerist and rich nations’ peoples. A cartel that controls the supply and demand thus keeping the prices of these much coveted stones artificially high. Is it worth it to express one’s love on the romantic attributions of a neverending, a forever, love embodied in a finely cut diamond? Even if it decimates towns and villages, displacing millions and eventually, nipping childrens dreams by seizing them young and inculcating them with violence, hatred and murder and in the process turning against their homeland, their people, their families?
A very strong message encapsulated in a fine movie with great stellar work by Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Honsou and Jennifer Connelly that is sure to make us ponder.
Innocent Voices - Luis Mandoki, 2005
From the always turbulent nation of El Salvador, plunged into a long drawn out civil war pitting ideological differences as well as class struggles we are brought to another gripping movie. This Mexican movie tells the story of Chava (Carlos Padilla), an 11 year old who is at the cusp of turning 12. Well, what makes that different with other children getting a year older was that in the civil war ravaged country, 12 year olds are drafted into the army. That’s how despicable it is. But then, Chava, even at a tender young age is forced to become the man of the house because of an absent father and must learn to survive the daily harassments, shootouts and bombings in his village and eventually manage to escape the country and escape being drafted.
Violence and brutality abounds in the movie, but its an eye opener of what war can do to its people and children despite many cliches.
