War Witch (2012)
7.4
A child soldier comes of age in this devastating, supernatural war drama
Movie
Canada, Congo
French, Lingala
Drama, War
2012
KIM NGUYEN
Alain Lino Mic Eli Bastien, Cornelius Keagon, Mizinga Mwinga
90 min
TLDR
Honestly, this is a tough watch. I really needed to lie down after watching this one.
What it's about
During a war in sub-Saharan Africa, a rebel group led by the warlord Great Tiger raided villages to kidnap children and force them to become child soldiers. One such child is Komona, whose vivid hallucinations convince the rebels that she has supernatural powers.
The take
War Witch is depressing to watch. Having to choose between killing your parents yourself versus having them killed in a worse fashion by someone else is a cruel selection no child deserves to make, and War Witch poses that selection literally within the first five minutes, inspired by the real life recruitment mechanisms of child soldiers in Africa. But what makes the film still worth watching is the way writer-director Kim Nguyen focuses on how, despite everything, Komona clings to her humanity, albeit through the supernatural vision manifesting from a mix of hallucinogens and grief. War Witch won’t be an easy watch for most viewers, but it’s a unique story that has to be told, and we’re glad Nguyen rose up to the task.
What stands out
Newcomer Rachel Mwanza.
Comments
Your name
Your comment
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
Curated by humans, not algorithms.
© 2025 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.