The Silent Army (Jean van de Velde, 2008): Netherlands

Reviewed by Emily Day. Viewed at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre at the AFI Film Festival, Hollywood.

The Silent Army written and directed by Jean van de Velde, depicts  the chilling truth of what a child soldier is. In this film it follows the story of boy who is kidnapped from his village and forced to fight. Marco Borsato plays the father of the child’s best friend. He decides to find where the boy has been taken and hopes to return the boy home.

I remember waiting in the theater for the film to start. I had no idea that the film I was about to watch,  would change my outlook on the world forever. When the film began I watched the characters living a normal happy life. The film showed the poverty in Africa but it also showed the love that the family had for each other. When the film’s plot begin to take off, that’s when you could hear the audience reaction to the horrific scene that played before them. A young boy is taken from his village, his home, and his family. He is forced to walk into the jungle and become a soldier, to forget all that he has been taugh of right and wrong, and become a cold blooded killer. Marco Borsato plays the father of the child’s best friend. He decides to find where the boy has been taken and hopes to return the boy home.

The Cinemtography of the film is done so beautifully. The camera captures the emotions of the characters faces so well. I was very impressed with the the acting. The acting choices made by the characters were smart and most importantly honest and very believable. There were many special effects in this film. They were done so realistically and very professionally for a low budget film.

The film was difficult to watch in certain parts, but I believe the director felt it was necessary to show all that was going on, and give an honest account of the horror the children face. Throughout the film audience members would leave because of the high intensity of violence, so I would not recommend this film to viewers under the age of 16. I highly recommend this film, because the message that the film gives is very important.

I am very glad I saw this film. The goal was clear; to raise awareness of this terrible rising issue, in the hope that one day it will no longer exist.