Jojo Rabbit Movie Review

The following is an article “Jojo Rabbit” by Marc Primo.

Release date: 18 October 2019 (USA)

Directors: Taika Waititi

Language: English

Production Companies: Fox Searchlight Pictures, TSG Entertainment, Defender Films, Piki Films

Producers: Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley

SPOILER ALERT-- Filmmaker Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, What We Do In The Shadows), is back with an artful comedic satire that transcends time and history and pokes fun at the Third Reich’s image. It’s quite easy to go back and paint war history from a humorist’s point of view, much like how Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator or Robert Benigni’s Life Is Wonderful captured our interest. Waititi does, if not surpasses, the same with his new offering about a young Nazi boy who has expressed his loyalty to Hitler, the latter also serving as his best, albeit imaginary, friend.

The coming of age film follows Jojo and his mother Rosie (the fabulous Scarlett Johansson) who happens to be the wife of a missing Nazi official. Existing in the mind of the young boy is a rather watered-down Adolf Hitler (Waititi), whose character seems like a cross between Mister Rogers and Gordon Ramsey. Jojo goes about his dealings with Hitler in tow until complications spring when he discovers a young Jewish girl by the name of Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) hiding in their attic. More confusion ensues for Jojo when he discovers that his mother is anti-Nazi and was the one trying to help Elsa from being discovered by soldiers.

Waititi’s take on Christine Leunen’s novel Caging Skies presents a slapstick approach that’s a surefire hit with audiences who at first may be expecting something rather tense due to the film’s theme. The conversations Jojo shares with Hitler, his mother, and his in the flesh best pal from the Hitlerjugend ranks Yorki (Arche Yates), are smartly written and funnier than anyone would expect. Add the presence of Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell as the eccentric Captain Kiendendorf, Stephen Merchant’s Deertz, and Rebel Wilson’s Fräulein Rahm and you have the perfect ensemble for a rather mysterious film plot.

Film fans will get their dose of tearjerkers in scenes that feature Rosie and Jojo, and during the climax which features Kiendendorf in the ultimate reveal that begs Jojo to realize life’s most important lessons. Merchant also stands out with his midway presence announcing the gripping tension that will put audiences at the edge of their seats before drizzling the scene with funny banter.

Jojo Rabbit proves yet again how Waititi’s artful attack at the subtleties of human nature always wins and how conflict has its own comic moments. The same signature is reminiscent in Hunt For The Wilderpeople and Boy among his other films and it’s not too difficult to acknowledge the genius in Waititi’s storytelling. What we get is a breather from the suffocating drama and tension in most recent war films, and in its place-- a heartwarming story about being human which will somehow make us wonder if Adolf was rather a good boy after all during his early years. Heil Jojo Rabbit!

If you want to read the latest movie reviews and find out more about Marc Primo click here.