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 enlarge | Director: Marc Forster
Actors: Khalid Abdalla, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, Atossa Leoni, Shaun Toub, Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy Used: $3.99
You Save: $26.00 (87%)
New (58) Used (37) Collectible (1) from $3.99
Rating:  105 reviews
Sales Rank: 2032
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Russian (Original Language), Urdu (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 128
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: PARD117974D
UPC: 097361179742
EAN: 0097361179742
ASIN: B0012OX7EO
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Previously Viewed rental product. 100% GUARANTEED! May have stickers on case or disc. Fast shipping! Book, Video, Video Game & Music titles all in one location! Discover Your Entertainment at goHastings.
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| Customer Reviews:
Beautiful, Powerful Film. Worth Your Time to Watch September 12, 2008
I never truly understood the extremely powerful concept of shame in Islamic societies like that in Afganistan before I saw this film. The central themes here are of course sin and redemption. The sin is personally experienced by two boys as shame: the shame of weakness, the shame of cowardice, the shame of guilt, the shame of personal betrayal of deeply held principles, the shame of failure that people on the surface see as success. Shame all around, shame passed down also from father to son in the form of class differences and class values. The redemption at the end is so overwhelmingly beautiful because finally the deep shame is transformed into pride and gratitude. I've heard that the film hardly touches the profound beauty and agony of the book (which I have not read) but if you don't have the time to read the book, this is much better than not having been exposed to this wonderful story at all. Every bit as good as you heard from others. See it if you can.
 worth considering August 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Watching this film was a rather jarring experience. Having watched it several days ago I find that I am still affected by it, enough to google it, its author, enough to come here and read reviews of it - as if to gain some sort of comfort by gathering amongst other people who have shared in the same viewing experience.
I'm pretty disappointed in the bad reviews (here) of this movie. Yes, it is largely subtitled. I understand that some people don't like subtitles, okay. I honestly don't know if that's a fair summation of the movie as a whole, but everyone is entitled to their opinion & I'm sure there are plenty of people keen on passing up a movie they'd have to read.
There is also the matter of the child-rape scene which is mentioned on the dvd case as well as in the opening film rating. The scene itself is non-explicit, but the viewer is clearly aware of what is happening and it is genuinely disturbing. Whether or not such imagery belongs in popular cinema is not something I care to debate here, however in this case it is a pivotal point in the film. I suppose it could have been handled differently, but again I am not willing to debate an artist's vision and how he chose to portray these events. In short, like the subtitle issue, I would not dismiss this film based on this scene.
In fact, I would have to argue that the scene contributes more than it detracts, and not just for shock-value. After the attack the victim still has to deal with perpetrator; at one point he is required to serve him tea. It's heartbreaking, and reinforces the point that the victim is considered less than human based on his ethnicity alone.
As for the movie as a whole - this is not cinematography at its finest. It may not have been one of the best movies I've seen this year, but it certainly has been one of the most evocative and thought-provoking. I think this is an average movie that tells an extraordinary story, formulaic and melodramatic as it is at times. Much of this movie plays out like an afterschool special - except that it's interspersed with a few moments of absolute horror.
The Kite-Runner isn't a coming-of-age or buddy movie. It's a deeply sad story about a beautiful country that has been torn apart by forces inside and out, and what happens to people when they are either forced to leave or forced to stay behind. If you're curious enough about this movie to read my simplistic review, I can recommend it purely on the basis that it may put a human face yet another country that isn't given too much consideration by the western world.
 Beautiful... August 4, 2008
This is a must see movie. It was absolutely beautiful, as beautiful as the book. It touched my heart like no movie has in a very long time. I recommend it for everyone. You laugh, you cry and you feel for the characters. I also learned much about the Afghan culture, which I must admit really did not know very much about. It has changed my view of the Afghan people. It makes you value true love and friendship and how timeless the human connection is. Both the book and movie will stay in your memory and your heart for a very long time. Wonderful.
 A Disappointment July 15, 2008
2 out of 8 found this review helpful
I absolutley loved the book, but the movie literally SUCKED. Totally did not do the book justice. Please read the book...screw the movie!
Just a moving as the book! July 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have to admit that I am not usually a fan of movies that are based on books. Something about the adaptations usually doesn't fit. But-this movie was an exception. It was beautiful and powerful. Of course it is impossible to include every detail from a book when it is adapted to a screenplay, but the writers, producers, actors, etc where amazing!
I have read other reviews and some people where torn on whether the use o Afghan languages with subtitles in the film added to the "realness" of the story. My own opinion--the languages where beautiful to listen to, and the subtitles did not take away from the movie.
Everything about it was very well done. The boys that where chosen to potray Amir and Hassan are brillant young actors, as well as "grown up" Amir. Baba was amazing as well.
There is some violence and one scene in particular that was very hard to watch, but overall, very well done. An amazing adaptation.
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