2020 Bustle Digital Group. Agu thinks (in V/O) that he has committed a great sin and that he can feel it in his body. But Elba's brilliant charisma, for which director Cary Fukunaga wanted him in the role, makes the Commandant simultaneously nauseating and sympathetic. GRANDFATHER). Beasts of No Nation took advantage of a large amount of untrained talent — … The initiates run a gauntlet, being beaten. Because then you can't just dismiss that person. Anointed became a "real-life Commandant," Elba said. Beasts of No Nation looks like it will be a brutal drama. This is one way to do that. A survivor, a CORPORAL, is found. Agu and his friend, DIKE, use the frame of an old television to make money off the occupying ECOMOD (UN sanctioned) troops. I am looking for volunteers to read a script and provide a scene-by-scene breakdown for it to be used as part of our weekly series. * A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story. He represents a broader truth about many military leaders involved in West African conflicts as charted in the book of the same name by Uzodinma Iweala. The NRC SERGEANT sentences Agu’s family to death; Agu and Big Brother break free, trying to escape. So seize this opportunity and join in the conversation! He questions his TWO-I-C about Agu and details to the crowd how a boy can be dangerous. One of the Commandant's right-hand men strolls around the production nearly entirely naked. As Two-I-C dies he asks Agu: “Do you know you are just a boy?” And, “Was this all for nothing?”, Commandant tells Agu: “Sometimes, Agu, I am feeling sorry for you.”. We see a series of flashbacks: Agu arriving at the facility; Agu sweating out his drug addiction; Agu fighting against the camp staff. To see those analyses, go here. Commandant asks Agu where he is from and promises to help the boy if he tells. * We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes. It delves into the extent that war can tear lives apart and manipulate children to rape, kill and unleash unspeakable atrocities on other innocents. Agu questions the sun (V/O) and why it must shine down and reveal all the evil things they have done. Commandant curses them with a vision of their future: rejected through fear from their home villages, condemned to a life lacking in education and purpose, just orphans. The family attends church and believes in God. Strika gives Agu some fruit as a peace offering. Agu’s attention is drawn to the rest of the village, a view of atrocities being committed.