Why does cinema exist?
To tell stories of course! And it’s even better if the stories come from enigmatic exotic lands like Laos. The 2013 Australian film The Rocket, written and directed by Kim Mordaunt, invites its audience to journey into a land little known to the world: foreign customs and traditions, a distinct living environment, still surprisingly familiar traits of humanity and of the power of determination.
Ahlo, a young Laotian boy, is kept alive by his mother despite the superstitions of his tribe against twins (expressed through his grandmother, who helped with childbirth). The superstition seems that one of the twins is supposedly a reincarnation of evil – so no twin is usually allowed to live within the tribe. Later on, in Ahlo’s life, a tragedy strikes, and the superstitions and fears are remembered.
When Ahlo is ten, his family is forced to move by government forces, as a new dam is to be built, and the valley they occupy is to be submerged under water. The move brings unexpected consequences.
The plot of the film doesn’t shine with originality. We have all seen numerous Coming-of-Age tales about a young protagonist who, faced with a sudden change in his life, has to find in him/herself the strength and determination to overcome seemingly impossible barriers (prejudice, tragic death in the family, social and physical limitations – to name but a few).
So once the challenge is revealed (in The Rocket, it is a rocket launching contest), the ending to the film becomes quite predictable. Yet, the beautiful cinematography, set locations, and, most of all, the performance of the young cast make the film worth seeing.
“Once all struggle is grasped, miracles are possible.”
Mao Zedong
The charismatic Sitthiphon Disamoe vividly portrays the character of ten-year-old Ahlo. A first-time actor, he has a similar life story to that of the renowned Brazilian actor Fernando Ramos da Silva, who starred in Pixote (1981). A film director chooses a street kid from one of the city’s poorer neighborhoods to be in his film. The director recognizes the boy’s raw talent and naturalness in portraying emotions, as opposed to obviously acting. Disamoe appears to have been as equally unruly as De Silva was. I stumbled upon an article in the Bangkok Post that stated that he had run from home and “has been found in an internet cafe in Bangkok nearly two weeks after he disappeared“.
Disamoe is witty and full of energy. It is not an overstatement to say that the director managed to display the essence of boyhood (with its ups and downs). For example, in one of the first scenes, he is shown laughing on a tied swing. It’s a scene filmed with a slow-motion technique that ensures that the viewer immediately establishes a connection with the character on screen.
The other significant child actor in the film is Loungnam Kaosainam in the role of Kia, a little girl who becomes Ahlo’s best friend (and his guiding light metaphorically). She also delivers a credible performance – fully capable of melting the audience’s hearts with her sweet, innocent appearance. The character development in the film for all but these two child actors (and sometimes even for them) is somewhat weekly executed as many things about the characters are implied in a more confusing than explanatory manner.
While everyone could benefit from an inspirational, feel good-story, young audiences (especially boys – because, hey – playing tricks and launching a rocket is somehow so boyish) are likely to enjoy the film the most while associating themselves with the young protagonist and cheering him on the way of achieving his goals.
The Rocket – Official Trailer
Watch the entire film on Amazon Instant Streaming:
