Amir returns to his homeland to meet Rahim Khan, not completely certain what he will find. He learns that Hassan has a child who has been taken prisoner by the Taliban and also learns a startling secret about his father. Amir decides he must rescue the young boy “to be good again,” to redeem himself and his father for their past sins.
The Kite Runner is a wonderful film that pulls at the heartstrings without being too sappy or contrived. It opens up a part of the world rarely seen in films, yet the characters are not strangers. Once passed the surface, the common humanity we all share is revealed. Their lives and actions are familiar and believable, although some moments are aggravating and uncomfortable. The story has some tough moments, but they pay off with a rewarding conclusion.
Director Marc Forster does a fantastic job overseeing a lot of talented work that went into the film. The actors all do a great job, particularly the children who have to deal with some very emotional scenes. The cinematography and production design look are well done. Kabul is recreated in different stages from the vibrant beauty in 1978 to the desolation after the Soviets and Taliban. The only slight the film has is the CGI of the kite-flying looked unrealistic at times, although it is likely the best way to recreate those scenes from the book.
Extras include a commentary track featuring Forster, screenwriter David Benioff, and novel writer Khaled Hosseini together in a mutual-appreciation society. They talk about their work and their working together. Hosseini understands the limitations of the adapting his work and seemed more than happy to go along with needed alterations. “Words from The Kite Runner” is a short feature that examines the novel and author while “Images from The Kite Runner” is longer and examines the work that went into the film.
Article comments
1 - Billy
I rented this the other day, I didn't expect it to mainly be in a foreign language though. Although I had to read the whole thing it I thought it was pretty good.