LITTLE TERRORS
Starring Om Puri, Armaan Kabli
Directed by Maninder Chana
Canadian filmmaker Maninder Chana tackles faith and morality in his poignant new drama Little Terrors. Shot entirely in India, the film stars newcomer Armaan Kabli as Samih, a 13-year old boy originally from the United States, who is recruited by a terrorist organization to bomb the US embassy in Delhi.
Samih becomes increasingly conditioned during his stay at a training camp in Pakistan and is eventually sent to live with a Muslim family prior to the attack. Here, the boy’s unwavering commitment to the cause is challenged as the father of the household begins to question his mission.
Chana, who also crafted the story, demonstrates a keen grasp of the film’s complex themes and constructs an increasingly intriguing tale of fundamentalism gone awry. The director’s technical proficiency deserves credit as many shots are impeccably framed with the aid of Cabot McNenly’s gorgeous cinematography.
Minor issues do arise though; Kabli’s inexperience as an actor holds him back at times and an American journalist captured by Samih’s recruiters is painfully miscast, nearly ruining what should be some of the most powerful moments.
Marius Masalar’s otherwise effective musical score is heavy-handed at times and some less than stellar visual effects also hamper several key scenes, dampening the sheer force they were intended to convey.
Overall, these problems never overshadow the confident execution and sometimes fascinating script that Chana has created. Little Terrors, despite some flaws, weaves a powerful and straightforward character study with a plot that resonates in an often disturbing manner.
