The Terrorist

I just finished teaching a course in northern Thailand called "Understanding Cultures Through Cinema." This movie was the favorite of the class (and I had some great titles in there!). The students were very moved by the movie, and wrote great papers in response. This short line is my favorite example: "I liked (reviewer) because (that reviewer) doesn't say whether a terrorist who wanted to sacrifice her life was right or wrong. When your country is controlled by others, you want to have freedom." And this from a young sophomore who loves romantic comedies! Talk about a breakthrough!!! Culturally, the students tuned in to some important aspects that don't get noticed: Malli sharing meals with Mr. Vasu, the important moral role played by Lotus/Sorya, and the visual irony of the belt. I gave them a study guide question: How would YOU end this movie? The answers were poignant, and of course, they all mentioned the prevailing motif (which I won't mention here because that would be a spoiler, yes?).

When I first saw this movie, I gave it 9. After seeing it several times since, and especially seeing the reaction of my Thai students, I gladly raise it to 10. This is one of my top ten movies of all time.

I am writing this review after the horror of Tuesday 9/11/2001. All of us have wrestled with the question of how and why would someone commit such an atrocity believing that their act was blessed and sanctioned by God Almighty.

As I asked myself this question I remembered this movie. I remembered the beautiful vulnerability of the face of Ayesha as she struggled with her decision to become a suicide bomber to seek justice for herself and her people after she discovers that she is pregnant.

Ayesha is able to telegraph every nuance of her thought and emotion as the camera slowly, painfully examines every pore of her skin, every lash of her dark, liquid eyes. While the premise of the film is fundamentally simple, by the time the film is over the sacredness of life and wrenching paradox of its questions has been intimately explored. As raw as birth itself this film is a rare piece of poetry.

This is a starkly sad and beautiful film by the Indian filmmaker Santosh Sivan, in the Tamil language with English subtitles. It was shot in 17 days on locations in Kerala and Madras with a cast made up entirely of nonprofessional actors on a small budget.

The theme, however, is large.

The lead character, Malli, exquisitely played by Ayesha Dharkar, is a 19-year old woman who lives in a terrorist camp, fighting for her unnamed country. Her eyes are large and her expressions innocent and strong and even though we see her actively participating in an execution, she wins the audience's heart immediately.

She is honored by being chosen to become a suicide bomber. A very important person will come to the town, she will put a garland around his neck, and blow him and herself up by pushing a button which will ignite the bombs strapped to her body. But will she really do it?

When she leaves the guerilla camp she is led through minefields by a young boy named Lotus. We glimpse the horror of the war through his eyes and his boyish bravery. Then she is taken on a boat to spend a few days with a elderly farmer named Vesu who doesn't suspect her mission. As she dresses for the final event, she is torn with conflict.

By subtle complexities in her acting, the audience is drawn in to Malli's dilemma. However, the director sometimes gets a little too arty, with too many close-ups with raindrops on her face. And, in order to show every single emotion, the action of the story moves too slow for my taste.

However, the beauty of the film lies not as much in the actual story, but in the director's ability to put a human face on terrorism. The mood is somber, the cinematography beautiful and the emotions of the individuals caught up in the drama are captured well.

I recommend this film for serious film buffs only who are willing to incorporate sadness and starkness into their movie-going experience. Others will find it too harsh.

The movie lacks in substance. It is a very simple plot yes, but the telling doesn't have to be so simple. The movie is devoid of substance, innovativeness and anything interesting. Visually it is appealing but so are lot more films from India. That doesnt necessarily mean the director can dwell on slow motions, extreme closeups and some pictureseque shots without getting on with the story.

What's good? Photography, a couple of ideas/concepts, the girl. What's not? Screenplay, sound (major sound problems), direction (wayward), acting, production values (every gunshot in the movie looks/sounds fake and the movie is called the terrorist) and the movie.

This movie should be seen, if for any other reason than to see a story told with minimal dialogue. The script couldn't have been more than 30 pages. Great visuals, and great acting using expression and editing. The only problem is that the ending should have been cut by about 5 seconds. Once you see it you will know what I am talking about. With little dialogue I was suprised how enthralled I was. I never once remember feeling like the movie should move faster. Worth a view.