Jirga (2018) User Reviews

Lots of Realism & Humanness

[larrys3 · 7/10 · 1 January 2020]

Former Aussie soldier Mike Wheeler (Sam Smith) is returning to Afghanistan after a 3 year absence. His goal is to achieve forgiveness from the family of a man he killed there in a raid.

Lots of realism and humanness emanates from this movie, although from time to time a few of the plot elements come across as implausible. The naturalness of the acting is impressive, and the cinematography is striking.

Overall for me, it was a journey worth taking.

Taliban: Good or Bad or ...

[westsideschl · 6/10 · 8 December 2019]

Jirga: An Afghan court of tribal elders. Positive: Showed the countryside; the markets of Afghanistan, and some of it's peoples as our ex-Aussie soldier travels to ask forgiveness of a family for the mistaken killing of their father. As to the war it brings up the question of, "Do the means justify the end?" Perhaps it should be the other way around, "Does the end justify the means?" Negative: We do not see the Taliban for its male centric treatment of females; amongst the worst of any country on Earth. Nor it's disregard for education, & basic human freedoms. Nor it's indiscriminate killing of thousands. Neutral oddity: Most Afghan cars have steering wheels on the right yet they drive on the right side of the road (same as left side steering countries like the U.S.).

So boring

[stevenyc-86318 · 2/10 · 4 November 2020]

This is one of the most boring movies I've seen this year. Definitely not worth even the 1 hour and 18 minutes.

A beautiful compelling movie

[cbodhinath · 9/10 · 1 November 2019]

A suspenseful and moving film. A wonderful piece of work. An eye opener for people who doesn't know anything about Afghanistan and it's people. The actors are amazing and you don't feel like you are a watching a movie. A must see. Highly recommended.

Beautifully crafted thriller; concise, powerful and compelling

[andrewbunney · 9/10 · 27 September 2018]

Set and shot in Afghanistan, Jirga is the story of former Australian soldier, Mike (played brilliantly by Sam Smith), who returns to Afghanistan after three years to find the family of a civilian he accidentally killed during the war. Seeking forgiveness, he gets a driver to take him from Kabul to Taliban held Kandahar where he puts his life in the hands of the village justice system - the Jirga.

Told with the intimacy and realism of a documentary, this is actually a drama set against the background of the immense Afghan landscape; sharp mountains, buttes, stony deserts and dust. But there are also surreal moments in a pristine, blue lake with a pink swan paddle boat. The young Australian is the outsider and definitely no longer in the dominant position he was. It's a measured story of the meeting of cultures and a perspective on Australia's longest war that we have not seen before. The action throws up moral and ethical choices for all, making this beautifully crafted thriller concise, powerful and compelling. The portrayals are rich and the characters are easy to identify with, the camera work superb. Jirga is highly recommended and this week's Movie Of The Week Let's Go To The Pictures Three D Radio, Adelaide

Full of suspense and contemplation

[rachelriley · 9/10 · 30 September 2018]

Great meditation on repentance and forgiveness of an Aussie ex soldier. I loved seeing the landscapes of Afghanistan and it's people in this gentle and nuanced film. A film about peace and connection with a good dose of suspense and little moments of humour for good measure

A beautiful movie

[farshadtami · 10/10 · 9 January 2020]

I loved it through and through because it touched upon so many basic human connections. I was in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2014 and I can see how much effort and work was put into making a good movie. It also made me nostalgic for the Afghan mountains, their music and the many kind people I met there. Jirga is a must see.

A great journey through an amazing country

[marklear-1 · 9/10 · 25 October 2018]

Before seeing this film, I heard that it had an interesting history. It was to be shot in Pakistan, because Afghanistan was considered too dangerous. However, the director was not allowed to make it in Pakistan, so he sent most of his crew home, and just a few hardy folks went with him into Afghanistan itself, because he did not want the whole project to be wasted. As a viewer, I was very pleased indeed with the result, but quite nervous along the journey that's for sure. He had a mission to accomplish, and we watch as his perceptions of the country change, and, as the film progresses, we all begin to see what these people actually consider to be important. He has to adjust (and does so) in order to have any likelihood of succeeding. Watching this gradual realization of what he must do is fascinating. The mix of people, both old and young, is very engaging, and we also try to work out how we would interact with these people in the situations encountered. The towns and countryside of Afghanistan also play a vital role in the story, much of it being mountainous desert. So the film has a great mix of tense relationships, coping with a foreign culture and an unforgiving environment, handled with skill and a lightness of touch. Definitely worth the journey.

Forgiveness

[rjhayes_au · 8/10 · 18 May 2021]

A very well done movie because you didn't really know what was going to happen to him.

Clearly forgiveness and understanding is much better than war.

For the person who reviewed this film suggesting it was the most boring film of the year, stick to Fast and Furious. I think Fast and Furious 23 comes out soon.-

Stunning in scope and emotion

[gilesblue-88456 · 9/10 · 13 July 2021]

This beautiful film captures elements of Islam, of ill conceived war, of humanity. Thank you brave filmakers and actors.

A very thoughtful movie. In line with the book 'The Guest'.

[kodakc-02694 · 9/10 · 31 May 2021]

After reading stevenyc-86318's review I had to speak up.

Well done guys. A very brave effort and thank you to all who participated in this movie.

and now, Afghanistan's back under Taliban control

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 11 October 2021]

Back in August, the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan, after twenty years of US occupation (last week was in fact the anniversary of the US invasion). That makes Benjamin Gilmour's "Jirga" all the more relevant. This story of a member of an Australian platoon who returns to the Afghan village where he accidentally killed a man serves a dual purpose. The obvious thing is that it addresses the morality of war. But it also shows Afghanistan's natural beauty. Beyond the images of nonstop suicide bombers, the country has some great scenery. No doubt the mountainous terrain is part of why the country has repeatedly proved impossible to successfully colonize.

Anyway, a fine movie. I like movies that show us cultures that we don't often get to see.