Kite Runner

I actually saw this movie with 4 people. Very rare for me. I probably would've eventually seen this movie, but not in the theatre.

My concern about this movie was that it seemed, from the previews, to be propaganda to make us feel good about what we have done and are doing in Afghanistan. Of course, I went in with that prejudice and feel that in many ways it is kind of true.

In a nutshell the movie spends much time telling us that the Taliban is/were child molesters and child rapists. Not only child rapists, but male/male rapists. This all maybe true, but it is interesting that a movie would be made saying this about a group that harbored a group of men that took down the World Trade Center. I am certainly not complaining here. I have no sympathy for the Taliban, or anyone that harbors people that attack the United States.

The other part of this context is an article I recently read about warlords in Afghanistan that seem to focus on young boys, especially dancing boys, as objects of their sexual affection. It seems these warlords hold contests, kind of beauty contests for their boys. So, it would seem that this is part of this Afghani culture.

Kind of an uncomfortable movie to watch. Especially the rape scene and the main character's yellow bellied reaction to it, by not attempting to help his friend and then turning against his friend, who ended up being his brother.

It was an interesting movie in that it shed some light on Afghani culture and their struggles against the Soviets.