Flee

 3/4

Starring: Daniel Karimyar, Fardin Mijdzadeh

Rated PG-13 for Thematic Content, Disturbing Images and Strong Language

I've often found that seemingly ordinary people have the best stories.  They're not bound by rules of the so-called "heroic journey," not hammered into quadrant marketing or weighed down by canon, fan service, or whatever.  Seen through the lives of the ordinary person, we get a first-hand look at their experiences.  That is what was so fascinating about the "World War Z" book; it never saw the bigger picture and instead took the point of view of the grunt, the soccer mom and people like that.  Of course, the movie version fell victim to all the usual problems that always befall blockbusters not helmed by Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and the few filmmakers who can work with big budgets and not be beholden to the studio heads.

In any event, "Flee" is a story just like that.  Amin isn't an extraordinary individual on paper.  He's not a king, he didn't cure cancer, he's not a sophisticated serial killer or an alien.  He's a normal everyday guy who had a hellish upbringing.  He was born in Afghanistan before it fell to the Soviets and into the hands of the Taliban.  His flight to safety forms the bulk of this movie's narrative.  It's fascinating and harrowing because we see the events from his life from his perspective.  This is his story, and it's all the better for it.

The film is animated, which would seem to be a curious choice for a true-life story about a refugee.  I love animation in general, and have long advocated that animation can enhance dramatic stories when used effectively.  Would "Grave of the Fireflies" or "A Silent Voice" be as devastating if they were filmed with live actors?  "Flee" is another excellent example of how animation can be used to enhance realistic narratives.  The fact that the film looks and feels like a comic strip lowers our guard.  We are not blinded by special effects and can concentrate on the people.  More to the point, perspective and expression can be played with in ways that are not possible with live actors.  For example, there is a point where, for reasons I won't reveal, he is afraid of the police.  The drawing of them becomes distorted into crude, aggressive creatures.  They look like schoolboy doodles, but they achieve their goal.

Unfortunately, the animation is subpar.  The frame rate is played with, making the film look at times like it's running on a 56k modem.  Whether this was done to save money or for an artistic reason, it doesn't work.  Also, while the relationship between Amin and his fiancee/interviewer Kaspar is nicely played and it is necessary to show where he ended up, there's no denying that the film grinds to a halt during these scenes.

"Flee" has gotten a bit more awareness thanks to the support of actors Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (they signed on as executive producers after the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival).  Coster-Waldau was so impressed that he did it for free.  The film was also nominated for three Oscars: Best Documentary, Best Animated Film and Best Foreign Film (it won none).  It needs, and deserves, all the help that it can get.  A movie like this depends mostly on word of mouth, and I'm doing my part to ensure that "Flee" gets it.

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