Taika Waititi caught my attention when he made one of the best and most surprising Marvel films with Thor: Ragnarok and Waititi continues to surprise with Jojo Rabbit.
Jojo Rabbit follows Jojo, a Hitler Youth member that finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home's attic.
This film has been a part of my watchlist for the longest time and I'm amazed by Taika Waititi's creative vision. Making a comedic film about the Holocaust is sure to stir up controversy but it has to be understood that this film is a satirical take on the subject. It takes guts to make a film like this but Waititi's incredible skills as a writer and director turned this film into a triumphant one. What genuinely surprised me was the amount of heart it had. The comedic elements were great all the way through and had me laughing quite a few times but where Waititi excels is the balance between the comedic and serious tones. The caricatured portrayal of the Nazis were fun to watch and it's visible how Waititi is poking fun at them. The light-hearted tone works in the film's favour as it's shown from the eyes of a ten year old boy. From Waititi's portrayal of Adolf Hitler to the colourful backdrop, all these aspects play according to Jojo's perspective. It's when he meets the Jewish girl, Elsa, the film slowly loses the comedy and takes a serious yet heartwarming turn to show the true horridness of the situation. Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr.'s change in lighting can attest to that. I didn't expect the film to be this touching but it worked and really stuck with me.
The dynamic between Jojo and Elsa works so well due to Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie's fantastic performances. They work so well together and the script gives them opportunities for fun and tragic moments that stick with you. The supporting actors all do a wonderful job in their roles. Archie Yates as Jojo's best friend is very good despite his limited role. Taika Waititi's caricatured performance as Adolf Hitler is very entertaining. Scarlett Johansson is terrific as usual. Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson are given some amazing dialogues and are also great in their roles.
Jojo Rabbit was a huge surprise for me. To get strong child performances and create a light-hearted film about such a dark event from the past is no easy feat but Taika Waititi's manages to successfully execute it. I honestly cannot wait to see what else he'll come up with.
Jojo Rabbit follows Jojo, a Hitler Youth member that finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home's attic.
This film has been a part of my watchlist for the longest time and I'm amazed by Taika Waititi's creative vision. Making a comedic film about the Holocaust is sure to stir up controversy but it has to be understood that this film is a satirical take on the subject. It takes guts to make a film like this but Waititi's incredible skills as a writer and director turned this film into a triumphant one. What genuinely surprised me was the amount of heart it had. The comedic elements were great all the way through and had me laughing quite a few times but where Waititi excels is the balance between the comedic and serious tones. The caricatured portrayal of the Nazis were fun to watch and it's visible how Waititi is poking fun at them. The light-hearted tone works in the film's favour as it's shown from the eyes of a ten year old boy. From Waititi's portrayal of Adolf Hitler to the colourful backdrop, all these aspects play according to Jojo's perspective. It's when he meets the Jewish girl, Elsa, the film slowly loses the comedy and takes a serious yet heartwarming turn to show the true horridness of the situation. Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr.'s change in lighting can attest to that. I didn't expect the film to be this touching but it worked and really stuck with me.
The dynamic between Jojo and Elsa works so well due to Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie's fantastic performances. They work so well together and the script gives them opportunities for fun and tragic moments that stick with you. The supporting actors all do a wonderful job in their roles. Archie Yates as Jojo's best friend is very good despite his limited role. Taika Waititi's caricatured performance as Adolf Hitler is very entertaining. Scarlett Johansson is terrific as usual. Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson are given some amazing dialogues and are also great in their roles.
Jojo Rabbit was a huge surprise for me. To get strong child performances and create a light-hearted film about such a dark event from the past is no easy feat but Taika Waititi's manages to successfully execute it. I honestly cannot wait to see what else he'll come up with.