Review by Dieter Fouche

I honestly never expected to find myself even watching a satire film about something as horrific as World War II, much less one that portrays Hitler as the screeching goofball imaginary friend to a 7-year old German boy who questions his beliefs, but here we are.

On the surface, that premise would seem to delve into the realm of bad taste by making light of such a sombre topic. That Jojo Rabbit was written and directed by Taika Waititi though – the filmmaker who gave us Thor: Ragnarok, undoubtedly one of Marvel’s funniest additions to the franchise, as well as indie darlings like Hunt for the Wilderpeople and cult comedy What We Do in the Shadows – made all the difference though.

From the opening frames of the movie, I was smiling. Within two minutes that had ramped up to all-out laughter and it never stopped from there. Waititi has always had a knack for offbeat comic timing and quirky dialogue spoken by unique characters, and he excels in those aspects here as he adapts Christine Leunens’s book Caging Skies for the screen (a feat which earned him a well-deserved Oscar).

Bringing Waititi’s work to life, the superb cast manages to each capture a piece of your heart in their truly memorable performances. This is especially true of Scarlett Johansson as the mother of protagonist Johannes “Jojo” Betzler (played by Roman Grifin Davis), a young Hitler Youth member in war-torn Nazi Germany who discovers his family is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. As this revelation completely upends Jojo’s entire worldview, the young boy has to contend with his hate-fueled Nazi indoctrination versus what is right. And so – and I never thought I would ever follow-up those words with these – cue much hilarity.

Waititi has assembled an all-star supporting cast with Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, and Alfie Allen each playing the funniest Nazi stereotypes you could imagine. Alongside Johansson’s genuinely warm turn, they all put in fantastic efforts, but it’s the small roles which really stood out to me. Characters like JoJo’s best friend, Yorki (Archie Yates), who delivers some of the driest one-liners I’ve ever heard, had me absolutely crying in laughter as I walked out of the cinema.

Meanwhile, Waititi himself plays Jojo’s aforementioned imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler. This is not any Adolf Hitler you’ve ever seen before though, as Waititi puts in a hilariously buffoonish send-up of one of the most reviled men to ever live. As the filmmaker himself has explained in past interviews, while we have to be reticent of evil, we shouldn’t be in awe of it. Laughing at evil robs it of its power, exposing moustache-twirling villains for the cartoons they are.

It’s not just silly gags though, as, through Jojo and his family’s journey, there’s a whole lot of warmth to go with that whimsy. Waititi shows us that besides being hell, war can also be absurd, especially when viewed through the eyes of a child. That’s the tight-rope of tone and content throughout Jojo Rabbit that the filmmaker is walking here. It’s undoubtedly audacious, as this won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but Waititi somehow pulls off that impressive balancing act without falling. It also helps that with strong production values and Waititi’s deft eye for framing, combined with Michael Giacchino’s orchestral score, the film looks and sounds as good as it plays.  

Jojo Rabbit was everything I never knew I was looking for in a cinematic experience, cementing my appreciation for Waititi’s skill as a storyteller. There’s something for everybody here: From those simply needing a good laugh, to those watching it for the harsh context it manages to turn into a beautiful exposé on the bonds of family and overcoming our own indifference. As delightful as it is insightful, this is a must-see film for everyone. Forgoing all of that, just checking out what is most definitely THE FUNNIEST representation of Hitler you have ever seen, is enough reason to watch this film.

Last Updated: February 19, 2020

Jojo Rabbit
Through charm, wit, and heart - and an utterly ridiculous version of Adolf Hitler - Jojo Rabbit manages to pull off the immensely difficult act of turning horror in hilarity! A must see!
9.0
/10

23 Comments

  1. Hammersteyn

    February 19, 2020 at 13:10

    Nein out of Ten

    Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    February 19, 2020 at 13:11

    They should do Zuma next…….. oh wait, that was satire.

    Reply

    • Son of Banana Jim

      February 19, 2020 at 13:11

      Leon Schuster’s Jacob Zuma would be just what South African cinemagoers need.

      Reply

      • Kervyn Cloete

        February 19, 2020 at 14:21

        Don’t fucking give Schuster ideas

        Reply

        • Son of Banana Jim

          February 19, 2020 at 14:21

          You know he’s just waiting to drop Dr Bones 3 on all of us…

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            February 19, 2020 at 14:54

            Can he rather drop a nuke?

          • Son of Banana Jim

            February 19, 2020 at 15:43

            He could, but some people just like to see the world burn and the people suffer….

          • Hammersteyn

            February 19, 2020 at 16:01

            Strife walks among us.

  3. Son of Banana Jim

    February 19, 2020 at 13:11

    So good, you’d want to invade Poland?

    Reply

    • Pariah

      February 19, 2020 at 13:16

      Apparently it’ll leave you Hungary for more.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        February 19, 2020 at 13:16

        @monstercheddar:disqus can learn puns from us, first step is to get out of mein kampfert zone

        Reply

        • Pariah

          February 19, 2020 at 13:21

          Anne Frankly, it’s about time he does too.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            February 19, 2020 at 13:21

            And he’ll be showered in compliments

          • Pariah

            February 19, 2020 at 13:21

            Yup, it’s the fascist way to get those upvotes.

    • Hammersteyn

      February 19, 2020 at 13:16

      Oh no Juden’t!

      Reply

  4. Son of Banana Jim

    February 19, 2020 at 13:21

    “Forgoing all of that, just checking out what is most definitely THE FUNNIEST representation of Hitler you have ever seen, is enough reason to watch this film.”

    Oh you sweet summer child, if only you watched Mel Brooks’ The Producers…

    Spring time with Hitler… ?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      February 19, 2020 at 13:21

      Ok Boomer

      😛

      Reply

  5. SagatatiaRZA

    February 19, 2020 at 13:31

    I watched this movie, Parasite and Doctor Sleep over a single weekend and not only was it my favorite of the bunch, it is the first movie to ever beat out Django Unchained for my number one film of all time. I absolutely loved it and Tarantino takes a hard second to Waikiki in my list of personal jesuses now. Really unbelievably good. Also if you guys want a review for Parasite from a writer with first hand experience on the Korean class gap, hit me up!

    Reply

    • Son of Banana Jim

      February 19, 2020 at 13:41

      Give this guy a chance! Let him write!

      Reply

    • Kervyn Cloete

      February 19, 2020 at 14:21

      Send it. Seriously. Write it up and mail it to us and if it’s not just chicken scratchings on paper we could use it.

      Reply

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