One of the most powerful and unflinching war dramas of the 21st century, and Netflix’s first ever original feature, has now returned to the platform, nearly a decade after its release shook audiences and critics alike.
With a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Beasts of No Nation (2015), tells the harrowing story of a young boy, Agu, forced to become a child soldier as civil war erupts in an unnamed West African country.
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective, No Time To Die) and based on the novel by Uzodinma Iweala, the film doesn’t just depict the chaos of war, but immerses viewers in it.
“I don’t remember it being this good,” one online reviewer admitted. “This is simply one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen. Brutally realistic. Nothing is watered down.”
The film’s raw power lies in its fearless portrayal of the psychological and physical toll of war – particularly on children. As Agu is dragged further into the darkness, what unfolds is both difficult to watch and impossible to look away from.
“This film represents what I couldn’t even dream of in a nightmare,” another viewer wrote. “You NEED to watch this, and hopefully feel compelled enough to do something to help, however big or small the gesture may be.”
At the centre of the film’s emotional weight is Idris Elba, in arguably the most chilling and complex role of his career – as the Commandant, the magnetic but morally corrupt warlord who recruits Agu into his militia. Elba’s performance was widely praised as Oscar-worthy, yet the actor infamously left the Academy Awards empty handed.
“Idris Elba was robbed at the Oscars,” one user wrote bluntly. “His character is terrifying in ways other evil characters are not, because there is a layer of honesty and realism his performance brings. He is not just a comical evil dictator trope.”
He was nominated for a BAFTA and won the SAG Award for Best Supporting Actor, but the lack of an Oscar nod sparked backlash and reignited conversations around diversity in the film industry.
Cary Fukunaga, who directed, wrote, and served as cinematographer, also drew significant praise for his handling of such heavy material: “One of the most well-made, difficult to watch movies of all time… a travesty that Idris Elba was not even nominated… Fukunaga has secured himself a position amongst the best directors of the modern era”, one fan wrote.
Beasts of No Nation premiered at the 2015 Venice Film Festival to a standing ovation and went on to win accolades at film festivals around the globe.
Beasts of No Nation (2015) is now available to watch on Netflix.