Yeelen

Its director, Souleymane Cissé, from Mali in West Africa, has expressed his desire to make films which are uniquely African in style rather than imitating those of the United Sates or Europe… To this end he relies on stories, true and mythical, told by old men and handed down through the generations…

A young warrior (Issiaka Kane), threatened with death by his evil sorcerer father (Niamanto Sanogo), goes on a journey where he learns the power of magic… The film inhabits a world of dreams, but not the kind described by Dr Freud…

However, the movie's basis in a mystical tradition does not render it inaccessible to Western audiences… The structure of the narrative, based on a quest for magical knowledge and power, is clear and firm, and the consistent pattern of imagery based on the elements of fire, water, earth and light (the title translates as 'brightness') is not specific to African culture… The film's use of landscape, yellow spaces of the desert, is one of its chief glories… The performers too have great charm

If absolutely nothing else, "Yeelen" offers a look at a society that we in the west don't often get to see. In this case, it's the Bambara people of Mali; the movie also includes the Dogon and Fulani. Having taken a sociology-anthropology class, I already knew about them. The plot centers on a warrior having to battle an evil sorcerer who is also his father.

I should identify that this is not a movie for people with short attention spans: the action moves along very slowly. But don't worry. Despite how it takes a long time for everything to happen, you feel like you've gotten a lot out of the movie. Above all, I like to see how Africans view themselves as opposed to how we in the west view them. So I certainly recommend this movie.

It's surprising to see the number of rave reviews for this movie. As someone who is passionate and open-minded about all types of foreign cinema, I thought this movie was absolutely horrible with no redeeming value whatsoever.

Not only was it overly long, but it seemed like the director only had a budget of $10 to film what turned out to be nothing more than a meandering, incoherent, pointless piece of drivel masquerading as high art. This movie barely has any plot and NO characterization whatsoever. Sadly, the only memorable thing in the movie is scenes of actual animals being killed, which is terrible.

If, as other reviewers here have said this is how Africans see themselves, then is it any surprise African films don't get much exposure in the world market of cinema?

I also completely disagree with the reviewer who said that people with long attention spans will enjoy this movie. It's more like anybody who's accustomed to such basic cinematic elements as story or character development will not enjoy "Yeelen" as it features neither.

For a far superior film from a similar region in Africa, I would highly suggest Ousmane Sembene's "Moolaadé" from 2004. It too is filmed from an African perspective rather than a Western one...but it actually has a relevant, engaging storyline with fleshed-out characters for whom you actually care.

"Yeelen" on the other hand, is an excruciating, mind-numbing experience that I wouldn't even inflict on my worst enemy. It's as enjoyable as watching urine dry on a toilet seat.

This fascinating and esthetically moving film should be seen by all who want to understand the deeper meaning of initiation and its role in a not-so-primitive society. It is useful if not indispensable to have some knowledge of sub Saharan Africa, and to realize that these Dogon and Peulh people not only have a detailed cosmogony but believe in reincarnation and know of stars we only see through a telescope. Their metaphysics were so powerful that one of the first Islamic universities, in Timbuctoo, was created for them. Aside from this, the directness and superior acting make Yeelen one of the Eighties' best cultural products.

This is not a "proper" review at all. But I strongly feel that people should be forewarned about actual animal cruelty, and this film features an animal being burned to death and screaming in pain as it dies.

I can't score the film, as I did not watch it past the animal torture (which was the very first scene). I wish I had known about this content before I started the film.