Kite Runner Marc Forster (2007)

Kite Runner Marc Forster (2007)

Plot Synopsis

The movie "The Kite Runner" is based on the novel authored by Khaled Hosseini. Marc Forster directed the movie in 2007. Kite Runner story revolves around two boys seen as flying kites in the beginning of the movie. Amir flies kite very well and his friend Hassan accompanies him. Living in same house, Amir is the son of a rich man Wazir in Kabul and Hassan is the son of their servant, however it turns out by the end of movie that Hassan is Amir's brother since Wazir had relationship with Hassan's mother. By the time Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan, it was not only the external threat that damaged Afghanistan but also the racial hatred. Since Hassan was a Hazara Boy, he was discriminated in the town. He was bullied by some boys of rich families. Amir could not help Hassan and left him behind and the guilt remains with him until it motivates him to pay the debt and rescue Hassan's child from Taliban. Amir's love for his friend who turned out to be his brother too, moved him out of his comfortable life from United States, where he is a writer, into the danger zone where Taliban could easily seize him.

Assef is a Pushtoon boy who often bullies Amir and Hassan. Since Amir is a boy of rich family, Assef could hurt Hassan to show down Amir too. Amir is a story teller boy and he can fly kites well but retrieving the defeated kites is Hassan's job. One day after retrieving a kite Hassan denies to give it to Assef and is consequently sexually abused by him.

Amir disappears from the scene and tries to find ways to get Hassan's family thrown outside the house since the sight of Hassan increases Amir's guilt.

Background Information

The kite runner is filmed in Kasghar (China), Pakistan and United States. The movie is recorded in English, Dari, Persian and Pashto. The motivation of the movie is realistic and the discrimination and child abuse issue is discussed. The movie discusses how racial prejudice can hurt the lives of many. Children learn hatred from their parents and can often display the show of hatred in their social lives. The movie is criticized for the abuse scenes and hence the release date was also extended to protect the characters from falling victim to extremists (Effects of Bullying, n.d.).

Child Abuse in the Movie

The movie the Kite Runner has shown a somewhat controversial issue of child abuse in the Afghan society where racial prejudice has engulfed the religious harmony and national solidarity (Types of Emotional Child Abuse, 2013). The movie argues that although Assef hates both Amir and Hassan, yet he had more command over hurting a poor boy than hurting Amir. Assef could not bear that Hassan used to be very loyal and obedient to Amir's family hence he would often stop him in streets to bully.

Hassan's limitless obedience and loyalty is a strange thing. Normally when the child is under a threat he would tell his parents or friends about the threat, the child would adopt such a behavior to avoid problems next time, and also the child will abstain from behavior that will cause damage to him (Types of Emotional Child Abuse, 2013). Based on these prevailing child behaviors, the movie audience is surprised to see why the Hazara Boy will again and again face same problems i.e. bullying, shame, beating and emotional blackmailing despite the fact that he could avoid it. But since Hassan has taken oath for his loyalty to Amir telling him he could "Eat dirt" for Amir, Hassan does never leave Amir alone.

Time passes, Hassan's family leaves Kabul and Amir's family also have to escape to Pakistan and then to unite States. Hassan however never feels hatred for Amir. Something unusual for a child, Hassan names his child Sohrab after the character in story told by Amir.

Evaluation

There are two very contradicting personalities shown in the movie. One of Hassan and the other of Assef. The children are fragile and sensitive. Also the children are fearful and tend to avoid danger (Lereya, Samara, and Wolke, 2013). In the movie however, Assef is totally insensitive. He could not just rely on verbal show of his prejudice and hatred. Assef grows up with these traits and to have a 'better future' in Afghanistan, he joins Taliban. Rather than adopting the extremist religion philosophy of the group, he continues to have his evil inner self satisfied by abusing children (Lereya, Samara, and Wolke, 2013). This time he got Hassan's child Sohrab. This is the most unbelievable, strange and bizarre moment of the movie (Effects of Bullying, n.d.). It is hard to imagine that someone can have such a deep rooted hatred that he displays his hatred till next generation by bullying, misusing and harassing Hassan's boy. Like the father like the son.

Besides Assef's behavior, Sohrab's personality is also strange. He has no drive to live a free life, or at least it seems so (Lereya, Samara, and Wolke, 2013). He and his family are so misused that they have lost the wish to have a fully independent and prosperous life. Even if they could not change their destiny, they could hate those that misused them and did not help in hard times. But Hassan and his son's characters are designed such that they never hate nor do they lose loyalty.

Amir's character is less critisized yet he does not show normal child behavior too. Because the children would shout while seeing crime scenes or they will yell for help but this does not happen in case of Amir. He gets rid of Hassan by accusing him of theft. Hence Amir indirectly punishes the victim not the assaulter.