Movie Review - The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind[2019] || Celebrating Black Excellence

Many people, including myself, watch movies for pure entertainment and leisure purposes, but watching "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" reminded me that I also watch films for a deeper purpose. I watch them in order to view the world through other people’s lenses, to learn from what I see and hear, and to hold those lessons close to my heart.

These three realizations draws me to share this review of the wonderful movie I saw last week.

Movie Details

Title: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

Genre: Drama

Release Date: March 1, 2019

Main Cast: Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lily Banda, Aïssa Maïga, Noma Dumezweni, Lemogang Tsipa, Joseph Marcell

SYNOPSIS

In a small village in Malawi, a 13 year old boy, William Kamkwamba, whose family struggles to make ends meet, is determined to rise above the storms and change the entire trajectory of his life and that of his community. His family’s predicament with extreme poverty stems from the food crisis in Malawi in the early 2000s, which leaves them with little grain and meagre savings. Eventually, he is forced to drop out of school because his parents can no longer afford his fees. While others help their families farm corn on hard, dry soil every day, William becomes more interested in finding a long term solution to the famine.

This story explores the harsh reality of poverty and the overwhelming challenges and insecurities that plague the mind of the common man. It also highlights the continuity of love, respect, and hope that holds strong through adversity. William’s love for learning, solving technical problems, and building meaningful items from scrap materials paves the way for a remarkable invention, even as the famine threatens to tear his family apart.

MY VERDICT

"The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind," is one of the most life changing movies I have watched this year. It is a deeply inspirational adaptation of a true story that teaches you not only to dream big but to remain resilient on the journey toward achieving those dreams. It also reminds us that the paths to success often begins in small, uncomfortable places, and we must be willing to sit with that discomfort until we grow beyond it.

Frankly, there is far more to praise than to critique, so I'll start with the praises.

The first thing I loved about this movie, is the use of Chichewa(One of Malawi's native languages) in the dialogue. It impressed me and gave me hope that some filmmakers truly understand the importance of preserving African culture and identity on big screens rather than erasing it.

Secondly, the characters. The casting was done with so much intentionality, as if the team set out to find only the best actors to embody the scripts, and these actors delivered their roles perfectly. Every character carried their own emotions through the movie. From enthusiasm, to curiosity, strength, grace, and even frustration, it all felt deeply authentic to watch.

Thirdly, the adaptation of the book was excellent. Every cinephile knows how difficult it can be to turn a book into a really good film as many adaptations have fallen short of that excellence. But this movie was made to meet the expectations of every viewer. It was engaging, well scripted and possessed the necessary scenes capable of capturing the heart of every audience.

Fourthly, the portrayal of hardship was incredibly realistic and made familiar to many Africans while also offering foreigners a clear picture of what it's like to depend on a government that does little for its people. The emotional depths were the core fragments of excellence that brought every scene to life. A father stretched to his limit watching his family ration meals. A mother staring helplessly at the floor where their last few bags of grain got stolen. A daughter eloping so her family has one less mouth to feed. Villagers struggling in line, under the scorching sun, to buy overpriced grain. Families migrating to nearby villages to escape the famine. These moments capture the human cost of poverty.

My only critique would be that I wish William’s relationship with his mother and sister had been explored as deeply as his relationship with his father. I think that added depth would have made the emotional arc more rich.

That being said, "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind" is a solid 9 out of 10 for me, probably the highest rating I have ever given a film, and it truly deserves it because it is black excellence at its finest. So, if you're looking for a story that will inspire and motivate you while opening your eyes to the everyday struggles faced in many African countries, you should definitely watch this movie. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

First image is a Netflix promotional material for the movie's release.

Other images are slides from the movie.

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