Innocent Voices (subtitles)

reviewed by Charles Markee

This Mexican film is based upon the true story of eleven-year-old Chava. As it begins, he is one of three captured boys being marched through the torrential rainfall of the El Salvador jungle. From this point, the storyline is a flashback to events preceding their capture, all of which occurred during the conflict between the U.S. backed military and local guerrillas in the 1980s. This fact alone leads me to believe that this film may never reach U.S. theaters. The story then continues through the capture of the boys to the climax and the anti-climax of the film.

The venue was a small village of tin roofed huts, really shacks, where the inhabitants attempted in vain to live normal lives while gun battles, explosions and random attacks occurred, night or day, without warning. Furthermore, each side conscripted boys as soldiers when they reach the age of twelve.

It's a hard film to watch, as the violence enacted by the military on their own people and in some cases their own kin, seemed to emerge from wearing a soldier's uniform. It's even worse for us as an American audience considering that it was our money, military advisors and support that helped this conflict continue for ten years.

However, mixed with the badness, there was strong loving family relationships, acts of caring and heroism and some humor. The acting by the principles, Chava, his mother, his siblings and his childhood girl friend was excellent. And the cinematography that showed us what was happening and the intimate emotions of those affected, was also excellent.

Unfortunately, the story arc for the screenplay was essentially flat, i.e. it began and ended with the country in military turmoil and it told how this affected the people of this small village and specifically, Chava. There was no protagonist involved in rising action or who underwent a change. I viewed it as a dramatized documentary, a snapshot more than a traditional story.

Furthermore, the gun battles that occurred throughout the film felt unreal and seemed to exist as a backdrop provided for the characters rather than any understandable sequence of events. The sound level was always right outside the door, never distant or changing. I also had the distinct feeling that the military soldier actors really did not want to portray or re-live any of this story. Also, it's a nit, but it surprised me that this jungle village seemed to have no problem with electricity in the midst of chaos.

Reviewed January 10, 2005 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Rating unknown, but probably "R" for violent war scenes and beatings.

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