The Kites of the Novel are Uplifted by the Wind but Fail to Soar in the Filmby Anonymous

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March 26, 2008: Khaled Hosseini's THE KITE RUNNER was one of those first novels that captured both public interest and the hearts of the many who read this story of childhood unconditional love and redemption set against three stormy decades in Afghanistan. Though Hosseini was approached about the story's adaptation to the screen soon after the novel was published, there seems to have been a rush to get the visual form of the poetic novel before the audience, a journey besieged by unsuspected political intervention and criticism by the Afghan government. But after seeing the film, this intrigue heightens the intent of those involved in translating the book to film - writer David Benioff and director Marc Forster. People may argue both sides of whether or not the dialog be in Afghan languages "Dari, Pashtu,Urdu" with English subtitles or be in English throughout: the choice of using both languages is severely hampered by the decision to place the Afghan translations in an overlay on the screen while the English subtitles are place off the viewing field. A small point, perhaps, but one that makes the first viewing of the film difficult to follow visually. As far as the actors are concerned, the two young lads who were chosen to portray Amir "Zekeria Ebrahimi" and Hassan "Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada" are perfect: closest of friends living in a household where one "Amir" is the son of the master of the house and the other "Hassan" is the son of the grounds and house keeper - a factor that serves to underline class differences that will later become increasingly poignant. The boys are inseparable, reading stories together and flying kites in competitions - each lad specializing in one of those pastimes. But disaster crumbles the boys' victory in the kite flying contest when Hassan is beaten and raped by the town bullies while Amir cowardly runs for safety, deserting his friend. Suddenly the Russians invade and that change factors into the need for Amir and his father to move to America where Amir is educated and becomes a writer. Twenty years pass. After the fall of Afghanistan to the Russians and subsequently to the Taliban, Amir "now actor Khalid Abdalla" receives a telephone plea from Hassan's father to return to Kabul. Amir, now married and a successful writer, feels the need to return to amend for his past omission as well as to assuage Amir's fears. When he arrives in Kabul he encounters a war torn country he no longer recognizes, discovers past secrets as to his and Hassan's true identities, and sets out on a journey to bring closure to a childhood love and promise. It is a touching tale of redemption and the strongest echo of the magic of the novel. THE KITE RUNNER as both novel and film will appeal to all audiences sensitive to scars that wars leave on children and adults alike. For this viewer the film lacks the intensity of the book in that the time spent with the childhood of the two boys feels secondary to the personal journey of the adult Amir. But that is not to say the film is less powerful in the end: the story is one that leaves an imprint on the audience that last long past the ending credits. Grady Harp