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Johnny Mad Dog

4/10

Stars: Christophe Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Barry Chernoh, Joseph Duo, Maxwell Carter, Miata Fahnbulleh, Dagbeh Twah, Mohammed Sesay, Prince Kotie, Careen Moore

Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire

War in Africa. A group of rebels, about a dozen by the look if it, marches through the country, taking cities at the blaze of a Kalashnikov. Much swearing, screaming and shouting ensues, pitching you right into the middle of the fray.

You long for these loudmouth, trigger-happy teenage warriors to get their come-uppance - which some of them do, although not before mowing down the local intelligentsia, some whom seem to belong to the tribe they hate (compare hutus and tutsis in Rwanda).

Non-stop, one-note stuff, with a slim storyline aboiut a 13-year-old girl (Vandy) hunting for her younger brother, trying to get her legless wounded father to hospital, and attempting - some hope - to steer clear of the gunfire and bloodshed. There's some interest in the rebels' acquisition of a live pig, but the porker, like everything else in the rebels' way, is eventually shot. Numbing, cheerless and depressing.

David Quinlan

France/Belgium/Liberia 2009. UK Distributor: Momentum. Colour.
98 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 18 Oct 2009