Beasts of No Nation

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Beasts of No Nation

Released Oct 16, 2015

2h 16m

War

Drama

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Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

149 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

As civil war rages in Africa, a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) trains a young orphan (Abraham Attah) to join his group of guerrilla soldiers.

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Critics Consensus

Beasts of No Nation finds writer-director Cary Fukunaga working with a talented cast to offer a sobering, uncompromising, yet still somehow hopeful picture of war's human cost.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

It wants to immerse itself entirely in Agu's experience, yet the filmmaker can't resist standing aloft in scenes that underscore the soldiers' ages and their actions, and pointing out easy ironies.

May 3, 2016

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Alison Willmore

BuzzFeed News

Fukunaga gives the film a visual grandeur that makes it feel like it's taking place after the world has ended, and all that's left for Agu is this morass of endless, uncaring violence.

Nov 10, 2015

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David Edelstein

New York Magazine/Vulture

Fukunaga's hurtling camera and taut cutting keep Beasts of No Nation only just this side of hallucinatory, and Elba is the kind of titanic actor to kick it to a near-mythic level.

Oct 16, 2015

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Paul Klein

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

You feel thoroughly rung out by it's harsh depictions of a world without compromise and yet thanks to Attah you feel that there is a future for Agu.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 4, 2024

Full Review

Jordan Brooks

Vague Visages

Absolutely devastating in its blunt portrayal of African civil wars, Beasts of No Nation packs so burdensome an emotional punch that I was left in stunned detachment, unable to cope with much of what I was experiencing.

Aug 1, 2023

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Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

It isn’t an action movie, but a realist story of savagery embedded in innocence before they have the chance to be a child rather than make decisions on the battlefield.

Feb 28, 2023

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George B

Beasts of No Nation is not just a film—it is an experience. It is a brutal, beautiful, and unforgettable work of art that brings light to the often-overlooked plight of child soldiers. A must-watch for anyone who values powerful storytelling and cinema with a conscience.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/27/25

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Sully G

Should be mandatory viewing for non-Africans

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/17/25

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Doreen M

Idris Elba was robbed at the Oscars, this was a masterful performance by him. His character is terrifying in ways other evil characters are not, because there is a layer of honesty and realism his performance brings. He is not just a comical evil dictator trope. Amazing movie that everyone should see at least once.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/21/24

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eric g

I don't remember it being this good. This is simply one of the best war movies I've ever seen. Brutally realistic. Nothing is watered down

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/19/24

Full Review

Lulu M

waaahouuuuuu this film is just fantastic and sickening. we dive into this film which evokes the events that the countries of West Africa suffered with the war and all evoking the key word the involvement of children in the war

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/09/24

Full Review

Chris W

This film represents what I couldn’t even dream of in a nightmare. It's almost soul destroying but I cannot recommend it enough. It’s a pertinent depiction of what is going on in the world, and you NEED to watch this, and hopefully feel compelled enough to do something to help, however big or small the gesture may be.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/01/24

Full Review

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Cary Joji Fukunaga

Director

Idris Elba

Commandant

Abraham Attah

Agu

Opeyemi Fagbohungbe

Sergeant Gaz

Kurt Egyiawan

2nd I-C

Ricky Adelayitor

Village Constable

Beasts of No Nation: Movie Clip - Victory

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Beasts of No Nation: Featurette - Cary Fukunaga

2:48

Beasts of No Nation: Featurette - Story

3:50

Beasts of No Nation: Featurette - Idris Elba & The Commandant

2:57

Beasts of No Nation: Trailer 2

2:07

Beasts of No Nation: Teaser Trailer 1

1:37

Beasts of No Nation: Featurette - The Child Soldier

3:01

Beasts of No Nation: Trailer 1

2:13

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Synopsis

As civil war rages in Africa, a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) trains a young orphan (Abraham Attah) to join his group of guerrilla soldiers.

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Producer: Amy Kaufman, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker, Daniel Crown, Idris Elba
Screenwriter: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Distributor: Netflix, Bleecker Street Media
Production Co: Red Crown Productions, The Princess Grace Foundation, Participant
Genre: War, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 16, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $83.9K
Runtime: 2h 16m

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