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Poignant storyline, fresh talent let ‘Kite Runner’ soar

Kite flying is a delicate art reliant on good weather, the right gust of wind, skilled hands and a well-made kite. Mark Forster's "The Kite Runner" is a beautiful film, and, much like the art of its namesake, the film is successful due to the skills of its director and cast, a contemporary public interest in Middle Eastern themes and its acclaimed source material.

"The Kite Runner," adapted from the novel of the same name by Afghani-born American physician Khaled Hosseini, is an engrossing tale of honor, morality and social critique. Beginning in San Francisco, the film follows the graceful flight of a kite as it floats in the breeze, which becomes the film's metaphor for innocent morality and the freedom that accompanies that goodness.

This kite also recalls memories of home for Amir (Khalid Abdalla, "United 93"), a writer born in Afghanistan who now lives in America and has finally finished his first book. Amir receives a phone call from his childhood friend Hassan who tells him a loved-one is dying and the writer must return to the Middle East. This call seems strained and bittersweet for both men and an extended flashback begins to explain the tremulous nature of their relationship.

So begins the stunning first act of "The Kite Runner," in which standout newcomers Zekeria Ebrahimi and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada play childhood friends Amir and Hassan.

Amir and his father live affluent lives in beautiful '70s Kabul, and Hassan is the poor son of their dedicated servant. Despite their culturally separated social classes — characterized by two different ethnic groups within the country — Hassan is steadfastly devoted to his friend who is able to attend school and writes stories for fun while he is forced to clean and work at home waiting to hear the stories his friend so skillfully tells.

Every year, the children of Kabul guide their kites into the air and then duel with each other by guiding their kites skillfully in an attempt to cut those of their competitors down from the sky. Amir and Hassan participate in the day's games and are victorious — a win which is featured in a breathtaking sequence of aerial shots. Hassan runs off in an ultimately disastrous attempt to find the final falling kite as a trophy for Amir. In the chase, the boy is accosted by teens who hate those of his race, the unfairly maligned Hazara, and is assaulted in an alley because he will not give up the prize meant for his friend. In an act of betrayal, Amir witnesses this event occur, but fails to assist his friend in need.

The events of that day alter the friendship of the two boys, and the delicate dance of the kites in the air becomes the incarnation of Amir's guilt as he is no longer able to accept his friend's unfaltering loyalty. Further betrayal and the Soviet invasion of 1979 further separate the two, and Amir eventually immigrates to America with his father and forgets about Hassan until the conversation between the two at the beginning of the film.

Hosseini's story has Amir return to a now Taliban-controlled Afghanistan where all the beauty of his childhood has vanished. This quest to his homeland serves as a frame for shocking depictions of a brutal stoning, the colorless streets of a relatively barren Kabul, and a child enslaved from an orphanage to dance for and sexually service religious authority. "The Kite Runner" is a poignant reminder of Afghani culture under the control of the Taliban, and its politically volatile themes are stirring. However, Forster employs the emotions of his cast and uses captivating writing to justify the motives of Taliban leaders instead of merely condemning their beliefs, laws and actions. In addition, ample doses of witty humor — often playing on the societal norms of honor and class observed by Amir's father Baba (Homayoun Ershadi, "Color of Friend") — provide a break from these darker themes and allow the film to address these topics without becoming strained.

Ultimately, "The Kite Runner" is the story of Amir and Hassan's relationship and Amir's attempt to vindicate and repay his friend for unfaltering sacrifice. The loss of a child's innocence is a weighty theme to address, but newcomers Ebrahimi and Mahmidzada's impressive performances are a boon for the film and propel this heavy concept by avoiding the limited dialogue that plagues many child performances and portraying the motivations and emotions of their characters in a captivating fashion. Good and evil is presented as a continuum, as Amir is able to seek retribution, while even the most despicable character in the film is given justification — Forster even goes so far as to dress him in a white robe that stands out from a stadium full of darkly dressed citizens. This play on morality also allows "The Kite Runner" to avoid the pitfalls of cultural critiques, focusing not on the immoral nature of the guilty but on their attempts to better themselves and do what is right.

"The Kite Runner" is an emotional film that carries some strong messages. Its look at a culture maligned by the press and often despised from a Western standpoint is far from one-sided, and this approach makes the film both formidable and culturally relevant. Technically, the film is a picturesque look at the Middle East, and its panoramic views of Kabul and the delicate acrobatics of kite flying are a delight. Though some of the film's characters fail to stand out, those that do carry the heavy plot and deliver truly outstanding performances.

Amir's eventual quest to redeem himself and forget the sins of his past are a powerful look into the pains and obligations of friendship. Even more so, "The Kite Runner" is an engrossing look at Afghanistan, its people and the codes of honor and love that tie us all together, and it brings the pages of Hosseini's novel evocatively to the screen.

4 out of 5 stars