"Everyone starts as a black shirt. It symbolizes your confused emotional state. As you work the program you progress, first to yellow and then to white, like me. If you work the program, it will work for you."

Year: 2008

Directed by: Christian Duguay

Written by: Agatha Dominik & John Cox

Badly behaved teenagers are sent to a camp by their parents, so they'd learn to bahave and respect their parents. Little do they know how horribly the children are abused and brainwashed.

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First think you think about while watching this film is how horrible the camps are - and how bizarre and scary it is that these camps actually exist even today. It would feel better if this film was about some dystopian society, but no. It makes you hate humanity a little. How is it possible that parents can't control their children at all? And even if your child was a horrible, uncontrollable little monster does that justify this kind of protocol? Even prisons seem almost kind comparing to these camps. The purpose of the film was definitely to make people think about the subject, and the film succeeds in this very well. Every gruesome detail in the story is excellently effective.

One other important thing is that you want the characters to say something or do something OR you think how you'd do in that situation. That thought isn't always so realistic, but still you think how you'd at least want to act. But whenever the characters seem to give in to the camp and its systems, you just want to grab them and shake them, and yell at them not to do it. 

The ideas of Boot Camp are brought to the audience very clearly. It could be a document without any kind of story to it, but still the story and fictional characters bring the film to life. You may not like the teenagers sent to the camp, but you definitely root for them instead of the adults controlling the camp. And the story is great, even if you ignore the reality to it. It is brutal with moments of hope, followed by moments of even greater despair. Maybe the end of the film isn't how it would really go down, but it brings the audience some kind of hope - and it gives some kind of closure to the film. If the end was realistic, it would be an awful end to a film. Think about the realistic ending, even if you haven't seen the movie. The realistic ending would be the characters just being brainwashed and abused, and then finally going back to their normal life, except it wouldn't be normal anymore. How can anyone adjust to normal life after experiencing something like this?

Boot Camp is shot in a very interesting way. Most of the cinematography is typical, but especially flashbacks are shot differently. They stand out, like flashbacks should. The colours are also amazing. Worst part is the island the camp is at. It seems like the perfect spot for a holiday, but what goes on in there ruins the atmosphere. So the location for the film is very skilfully chosen.

I recommend Boot Camp to everyone. It is really harsh, but since this happens in real life, it's very important to watch. 

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

10 / 10