Reviews
War Child: The Story of Emmanuel Jal
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“War Child”, a documentary directed by C. Karim Chrobog, tells the story of former Sudanese child soldier Emmanuel Jal, who, through providence, became an internationally renowned hip-hop star and advocate. While there are some narrative flaws, it is hard not to be moved by Mr. Jal’s story and his quest to spread love, understanding, and tolerance where greed and brutality have reigned for nearly thirty years. Emmanuel Jal has a genially infectious and disarming demeanor. It is hard to imagine him fighting a war during his childhood. And his story reminds the viewer of how easily war can spin out of control and how resilient the human spirit can be in the face of unimaginably horrific circumstances.
Mr. Jal was forced into the Sudanese army at the age of seven. During the early 1980s, the Second Sudanese War began in the south and quickly spread throughout the nation. While the causes of the war are myriad, the consequences have been catastrophic. Over two million people have died and another four million displaced because of the conflict. Emmanuel Jal was one of thousands of child soldiers recruited into the army and one of the few to escape the war alive.
His survival was largely due to the efforts of Emma McCune, a humanitarian worker who adopted Mr. Jal and allowed him to live in her home until her sudden death in Kenya. Finding a voice in hip-hop, Emmanuel Jal was able to make his compelling life into compelling music. His hit single, 2005’s “Gua” launched him into stardom. Since then he has become an advocate and a lecturer. The documentary follows him as he performs in London, lectures Washington D.C. schoolchildren, and reunites with his family in Sudan after eighteen years.
Because Mr. Jal is largely silent about his experiences as a child soldier, the documentary employs the use of other people to provide context. This robs Emmanuel Jal’s story of some its immediacy and makes the documentary less dynamic. While there are some powerful moments scattered throughout the film, the viewer always has the feeling that there is so much more to this story.
However, there is enough in the documentary to make it necessary viewing. Mr. Jal is a fascinating subject and his music is simultaneously visceral and uplifting. The film does a decent job of providing information and making the viewer care about Mr. Jal and his cause. Sudan has been decimated by war and atrocity for decades now. “War Child” puts a human face on an inhumane, and too often faceless, conflict.
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