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Synopsis
Chava (Carlos Padilla) is an eleven-year-old boy in 1980s civil war-torn El Salvador who is faced with the difficult choice of fighting for the government or the peasant rebels. Chava knows that once he turns twelve, he will be conscripted to fight the government's battle against the rebels. In addition, he has to find work to help his single mother. Chava attempts to survive the conflicting pressures of his warring country. Innocent Voices is based on the childhood of screenwriter Oscar Torres and is a moving tale of one boy who has his innocence corrupted by opposing armies seeking to recruit him.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The movie "Salvador" made a lasting impression; it was a movie about the political situation in El Salvador during years of civil war, about death-squads and human suffering."Innocent people" is about humans and humanity itself.
I embraced myself for the horrors to come in "Innocent voices" how can movie portray war without blood and terror done in the latest Hollywood fashion. But then again this isn't a Hollywood movie.
The film captures innocence, beauty, tranquility of forest scenario of rivers, in children's games and laughter. Yet the war is always present in uniformed soldiers, stray bullets in the middle of the night, tears of mothers and the inevitable abduction of young boys ear-marked for a grown up's war at the age of 12, a fact ever present in the film.
Stunning performances by young actors and older ones alike! I was at awe the whole time the film ever surprising me. A powerful story played out perfectly on a grand scale and worth every ones time.
I embraced myself for the horrors to come in "Innocent voices" how can movie portray war without blood and terror done in the latest Hollywood fashion. But then again this isn't a Hollywood movie.
The film captures innocence, beauty, tranquility of forest scenario of rivers, in children's games and laughter. Yet the war is always present in uniformed soldiers, stray bullets in the middle of the night, tears of mothers and the inevitable abduction of young boys ear-marked for a grown up's war at the age of 12, a fact ever present in the film.
Stunning performances by young actors and older ones alike! I was at awe the whole time the film ever surprising me. A powerful story played out perfectly on a grand scale and worth every ones time.
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I have been reading through the reviews for this horrific story, yet stupendous film, most of which I thoroughly endorse, but I came upon one by `HAPPY TULIP'(!) which she posted in September 2007 and I could not disagree more with her when she says that you can't show it to children of twelve.
This film is, as she also says, quite brilliant. This is the sort of world cinema production that Hollywood would not even know how to begin to make. It is `brilliant' in that it, in a necessarily harsh and even callous way, defines the brutal reality that is war and the fact that it is very often the children who suffer the most.
There is far too much `cotton-woolling' of 'kiddies' in the UK and North America. That is why Americans were so shocked and surprised by the reality of life when they were attacked on 9/11. This was, after all, the kind of brutality which had hitherto only been perpetrated upon American citizens by other American citizens within their own country - think of the black struggle, as just one example!
`Innocent Voices' is a tragic story but can be a tremendous lesson in learning to abhor the hatred and violence meted out by human beings upon each other. It is therefore necessary that children should be exposed to this reality as early as possible and, in my belief, this film should be required viewing by all children of 11 years and up. By all means sit with them and explain what is happening and be ready to console them if they are distressed. But for goodness sake let them see it. In any case, they need to be distressed! This is, after all, what is happening to children of much younger than eleven all over the world still today.
So, ensure that the children understand clearly that the gratuitous violence of El Salvador, (not to mention the sort which comes out of Hollywood all the time), is totally unacceptable and, rightly directed, hopefully they will the sooner become firmly resolved to be a part of a worldwide movement to ensure that these kinds of vicious regimes cannot exist and they will become better adults for it.
The film is indeed brutal in places - but has its lighter moments, the beauty of the countryside, the relationships within the families - and we are left with a feeling of hope at the end of it all. The hope is actually in the plundered innocence of children themselves. By all means let us preserve the beauty of this childhood innocence as long as possible but there is no reason why it should not be `informed innocence'. I recommend this film to all who are repulsed by war of any kind and take hope from its message. And - thank God for movies that are made outside of the Hollywood studio system!
Ray - The Dorian
This film is, as she also says, quite brilliant. This is the sort of world cinema production that Hollywood would not even know how to begin to make. It is `brilliant' in that it, in a necessarily harsh and even callous way, defines the brutal reality that is war and the fact that it is very often the children who suffer the most.
There is far too much `cotton-woolling' of 'kiddies' in the UK and North America. That is why Americans were so shocked and surprised by the reality of life when they were attacked on 9/11. This was, after all, the kind of brutality which had hitherto only been perpetrated upon American citizens by other American citizens within their own country - think of the black struggle, as just one example!
`Innocent Voices' is a tragic story but can be a tremendous lesson in learning to abhor the hatred and violence meted out by human beings upon each other. It is therefore necessary that children should be exposed to this reality as early as possible and, in my belief, this film should be required viewing by all children of 11 years and up. By all means sit with them and explain what is happening and be ready to console them if they are distressed. But for goodness sake let them see it. In any case, they need to be distressed! This is, after all, what is happening to children of much younger than eleven all over the world still today.
So, ensure that the children understand clearly that the gratuitous violence of El Salvador, (not to mention the sort which comes out of Hollywood all the time), is totally unacceptable and, rightly directed, hopefully they will the sooner become firmly resolved to be a part of a worldwide movement to ensure that these kinds of vicious regimes cannot exist and they will become better adults for it.
The film is indeed brutal in places - but has its lighter moments, the beauty of the countryside, the relationships within the families - and we are left with a feeling of hope at the end of it all. The hope is actually in the plundered innocence of children themselves. By all means let us preserve the beauty of this childhood innocence as long as possible but there is no reason why it should not be `informed innocence'. I recommend this film to all who are repulsed by war of any kind and take hope from its message. And - thank God for movies that are made outside of the Hollywood studio system!
Ray - The Dorian
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I watched this movie without reading any of the blurb on the back of the case. I really wasn't prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this film was. The acting was superb. Leonor Varela shows that she is not just a pretty face, she was brilliant, completely beleivable as a mother struggling to make ends meet and raise small children. Her facial expression during one particular scene with Chava made me cry! As for Carlos Padilla - amazing!
This movie is a true account and some of the content is disturbing. Top marks from the directors for capturing the 'essence of innocence' and how easily that is destroyed.
This movie is a true account and some of the content is disturbing. Top marks from the directors for capturing the 'essence of innocence' and how easily that is destroyed.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Voces inocentes
A sad, funny and moving tale based on a true story. The setting is El Salvador . The acting is superb and you can't fail to be moved by this compelling story. Read more
Published 2 months ago by HMC
innocent voices
a much see film. the film is a shocking view of the reality in the days of the salavadorian army. great story line , a true classic film, in my top 100 films , just a great film.
Published 4 months ago by sara joanna cairns
Not a film just about war and children in war
Most of the reviews here are very positive and I agree with them. This is a heartwrenching account of children caught up in war. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Agent
A superb portrayal of how innocence is lost through conflict
Innocent Voices is an El Salvadorian film set during the civil war there that lasted for 12 years, and in particular the effect it has on one little boy called Chava (played by... Read more
Published 9 months ago by N. Gallacher
Yes, but................!
I have lived in El Salvador and my wife is Salvadoreña. This film was clearly written from the viewpoint of the left wing guerrilla movement which, too, committed barbarous... Read more
Published 13 months ago by David J. Glazier
Profound
So shocking to find out that today 300,000 children still fight in wars.
A very moving film !
A very moving film !
Published 21 months ago by A. Juliff
heartbreaking movie
Voces Innocentes [spanish, subtitled English] is one of those rare classics - a movie that could so easily be overlooked by the world, is relatively difficult to buy but is an... Read more
Published on 6 April 2010 by Symphony
It will be one of your all time favourites!
I saw this film when it first came out and have seen it tens of times since. The film gives you a good image of the everyday life in El Salvador during the war that went on for too... Read more
Published on 1 July 2009 by L. Peltonen
real life
the film is a shocking view of the reality in the days of the salvadorian war. it shows how cruel war is and you won't believe what soldiers are able to do. Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2009 by niklas eden
Simply Brilliant!
This film is, quite simply, brilliant. From the direction, to the acting, to the storyline, nothing is left unexplained, no stone unturned. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2009 by Mike Graham
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