Over the course of “Io Capitano” main characters Seydou and Moussa embark on a journey that is arduous, unforgiving, and practically soul-shattering. Conversely, the experience of watching “Io Capitano” is utterly effortless, rewarding, and affirming. It’s an incredible adventure that is unflinching when it comes to showing the harsh realities of what millions of migrants will endure for the chance at a better life. ‘Perilous’ doesn’t even begin to describe the Odyssey these teenagers navigate their way through. Throughout “Io Capitano” you can see the desperation and the fear in their eyes, the knowledge that one wrong move may not only put an end to their dreams but even worse, their lives. The way director Matteo Garrone approaches the movie without any theatricality highlights just how heartbreakingly high the stakes are and how everything the protagonists work for can disappear in the blink of an eye.
“Io Capitano” pulls back the curtain and explores a world most of us could never imagine truly exists. From the road, to the desert, to the sea, there is danger and unforeseen challenges at every turn making “Io Capitano” a riveting movie to tear your eyes away from. There are scenes in this movie that are so distressing you want to look away from the sheer unimaginable horrors humanity is capable of. The immense tension you feel from the perils Seyoud and Moussa face is matched only by the flashes of hope you feel when they actually get a chance at success. From their personal possessions to their own faith, Seydou and Moussa lose everything over the course of their journey. One of the scarier elements of “Io Capitano” is the fact that you have no inkling of how much time has passed. Where the atrocities the boys face happens over two weeks or two months is a mystery but how the trip ages them is clear from the look on their faces.
Beautifully shot and anchored by performances so realistic you’d think you were watching a documentary, “Io Capitano” is an adventure that can’t be missed. It’s a genuinely moving story with an authenticity that most movies wish they were capable of capturing. Somehow both fantastical and tragic, stories don’t get much more powerful than this.
4/5
Review by: Luke Elisio
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