Johnny Mad Dog ( Liberia - 2008 )

Language : English | Country : Liberia | Director : Jean Stephane Sauvaire

Starring : Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Casque bleu | Year :  2008

History- When the slave trade was abolished in North America some blacks tried to return back to their roots in Africa, but instead they found a new country, Liberia, in the west of Africa. With US supported government in place, things were quiet for some decades, but opposition grew against Americo-Liberian leadership.

In 1980, rebel forces under the leadership of Charles Taylor led a coup and toppled the government, this led to First Liberian Civil War. Later in 1999, Charles Taylor government was defeated by the rebel forces supported by Sierra Leone, Guinea (who were indirectly supported by USA); this is termed as Second Liberian Civil War. For more info visit the link.

Johnny Mad Dog ( Christopher )

Don’t get surprised by the poster- yes, if you had seen the Tamil film Mariyan, this guy will be familiar to you. His name is Christopher Minie and he is the Mad Dog in this film. This film depicts the role of child soldiers in the war.

 Plot

Johnny calls himself Mad Dog who is around 16 to 18 years old leads a small group of boys. He is the commander of the group lead by a grown-up general Never Die, who lures these boys to war promising money. This is at the end of the Second Liberian Civil war, these rebel groups march into the about to be collapsed capital city. The kids go on rampage without any sense of remorse or respect. Death is always next door and they seldom care about others, in fact they don’t even care about themselves. 

General Never Die, takes only kids, these kids are forced to kill their parents, so that the guilt keeps them intact to war. Drugs, rape, torture is their everyday life in war. There is another story which is told simultaneously, a school going girl Laokale, city-bred, is forced to take his amputee father to the UN refugee camp as he is shot. She loses his brother when they stumble upon the Mad Dog group. 

The war ends, but Johnny gets nothing from his general, he was hoping for a big money, but is duped. Laokale meets Johnny in the camp, she enquires about her brother, but Johnny denies seeing him. She confronts Johnny and assaults him. The movie ends.

Laokale taking his father to hospital

Deceiving the kids

Superstition, drugs, trickery is used to lure the kids into the fighting, such as sacrifice of animals, fire dancing, calling of spirit by applying coke on the forehead ( There is scene in the Mariyan ), shooting the kids with empty-cartages to make believe them that they are invincible. 

The Will of A Child Soldier

The usual prayer to the dead, like “Rest in peace.. father.. son.. ghost.. amen”. But the kids have they Will song, see this video.

The language spoken is English, but of a different dialect, West African Pidgin English

Ending

The ending is very open- it ends when Laokale hits Johnny assuming that he killed her brother. It is left to the viewer - whether she believed Johnny or killed him. But one is for sure that the kids who got indulged in war were exploited by generals like Never Die and immoral governments. 









Not recommended for leisurely weekend viewing.

Trailer