The Kite Runner (2007)

A Disappointment

I absolutley loved the book, but the movie literally SUCKED. Totally did not do the book justice. Please read the book...screw the movie! July 15, 2008

Just a moving as the book!

I have to admit that I am not usually a fan of movies that are based on books. Something about the adaptations usually doesn't fit. But-this movie was an exception. It was beautiful and powerful. Of course it is impossible to include every detail from a book when it is adapted to a screenplay, but the writers, producers, actors, etc where amazing!

I have read other reviews and some people where torn on whether the use o Afghan languages with subtitles in the film added to the "realness" of the story. My own opinion--the languages where beautiful to listen to, and the subtitles did not take away from the movie.

Everything about it was very well done. The boys that where chosen to potray Amir and Hassan are brillant young actors, as well as "grown up" Amir. Baba was amazing as well.

There is some violence and one scene in particular that was very hard to watch, but overall, very well done. An amazing adaptation. July 15, 2008

Uplifting but formulaic

"Kite Runner" has "First Novel" written all over it. Its depiction of 1970s Afghanistan is interesting, but its hackneyed and heavy-handed plot points of boyish antics, fathers, bullies, sexual assault, betrayal, ethnic prejudice and civil war seems too calculating by half, as if designed for the sole purpose of including all the requisite ingredients for one of the middlebrow choices of Oprah's Book of the Month Club. It's an uplifting story, and with fairly likeable characters, but there's just something about this story that was too predictable, amateurish and unsatisfying. July 14, 2008

Brotherhood, Love and Redemption

I fell in love with Khaled Hosseini's novel `THE KITE RUNNER'; the story is sad, beautiful and inspiring. The writer relates the story in a way that makes you feel like it's poetry. The adaptation of this film captures the essence of the novel.

This is a story of unconditional love, brotherhood and redemption set in Afghanistan.

I like the way that the film is in the Afghan languages (Dari, Pashtu,Urdu) with English subtitles. If the film was in English, a lot of the realism would be lost and the story wouldn't have been as effective.

The two young boys who were chosen to play the role of Amir and Hassan were well-cast. The characters are best friends living in a household where Amir is the son of the rich owner of the house and the Hassan is the son of the house keeper; the class differences become an important factor in the story. The boys appear to have an inseparable friendship, they go to the cinema together and fly kites in competitions. An event occurs (I don't want to ruin the film for those who haven't seen it) in which Amir's strength of character and loyalty is tested. His actions, or lack there-of, will severely affect the friendship between the boys and they will never be the same again. Amir will be haunted with guilt becuase of the consequences of that fateful day for the rest of his life.

As a man, many years later, Amir discovers that there is hope, redemption is possible: `there is a way to be good again'.
July 10, 2008

A Terrific Film Every American Should See

While the movie is not quite as good as the book -- few are, of course -- The Kite Runner should definitely be on every American's "must see" movie list. I specify Americans only because, as one myself, I am all too familiar with our overall ignorance of the actual people living and dying in the Middle East, despite the war going on there. While this film doesn't depend on that, since it's a story that in many ways could take place anywhere, it does provide a great inside look at the many layers of the Afghan culture and the challenges they face every day.

Above and beyond that, this is also simply a very well told, well acted, and skillfully directed film. The keenly nuanced performance of Khalid Abdalla is exceptional throughout, as are the performances of all the main characters. There is some explicit violence, so keep that in mind if you intend to show it to your family, but that's also a key part of what the protagonist is striving to overcome, so there's no getting around it.

So...why buy the DVD instead of just renting it? Well, mostly because the Special Features on this DVD are exceptional. While a lot of movie DVDs show "behind the scenes" activities, the nature of this story lends itself to a lot of terrific back story reflecting0 the Afghan culture they are trying to capture in the film, as well as showing and discussing areas where the actual filming took place and the cultural challenges involved in that. And while you could see these on a rental, owning it will allow you to show and talk about these cultural differences (and similarities) with more people, over and over again. I know I have already. July 7, 2008

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