| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A+ |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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a couple cliches, but a must see movie
by Nanya (movies profile)
Feb 4, 2006
4
of
5 people found this review helpful
The movie has some cliches. One of them is when Chava is about to die, but then he is saved by his uncle. Evidently, cliches are added by the director, who co-wrote the movie and has directed several cliches-horrible-hollywood-movies before. But ignore Mandoki's (director) mediocre touch--(after all, he is not a very good writer) and pay attention to the story Oscar Torres wants to say...his life as a kid in El Salvador. I can assure you that hundreds of children suffered, were killed, and were obligated to participate in a war that wasn't theirs, just like Oscar (chava). I have read many "professional" critic's reviews; critics who do not know a thing about what really happened in El Salvador, and yet they have the ignorant guts to say that the story isn't totally true or just very exaggerated. However, I say, yes...Mandoki's exaggerations-cliches are not to true...BUT...kids being obligated to join the army or guerrillas-TRUE-U.S. army in E.S. training E.S.Army-TRUE-villages burnt by fire-TRUE-(in fact, the US and E.S. armies used to kill everyone who lived in certain villages, like El Mozote massacre-genocide, little babies included), priests killed, beaten-TRUE (See Romero w/Raul Julia) --and I can tell you that after you've seen this movie (which shows TRUE facts), you would've seen only a little piece of a huge mountain! You will not believe all the blood that was shed in El Salvador, but even worst, the many ways all this blood was shed. Worse than the worst horror movie you have ever seen...but...all true. And now that I think about it...perhaps this is why some critics have said this movie is fiction...they are all fakes and superficial and ignorant. One more thing I love about this film (other than Oscar's story and all the excellent acting) is the cinematography. For those of you who have not been in El Salvador, I'd like to tell you that El Salvador is one of the greenest countries. Lots of trees, fresh grass, and vulcanoes. The Innocent Voices cinematographer did his best to project El Salvador in this picture (it was filmed in Mexico), and he succeeded. Beautiful colors, and the rain...I was immediately transported to El Salvador (even though none of the cast had Salvadoran accent, but they captured the salvadoran-peasant appearance). I give the cinematographer an A+++ (not bad for a low budget film). Mandoki as a director is fine, but please don't let him write ever again.
A must see movie! |
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