In a small, unnamed village in West Africa, Agu lives a simple and happy life with his family—his mother, father, older brother, and younger siblings. Despite the growing tensions of civil war in the country, Agu’s village is relatively untouched, and he and his friends spend their days playing and creating mischief, living in their own bubble of innocence.

However, this fragile peace is shattered when the government forces approach the village, suspecting the locals of harboring rebel sympathizers. Agu’s mother and younger siblings manage to flee to safety in a nearby city, but Agu, his father, and older brother are left behind. The military soon invades the village, executing Agu’s father and brother along with many other villagers. Agu, traumatized and terrified, escapes into the dense jungle.

Alone and with no one to turn to, Agu wanders the jungle, struggling to survive. It is in this desolate wilderness that he is discovered by a group of rebels led by the fearsome and charismatic Commandant (played by Idris Elba). The Commandant, a ruthless warlord who recruits and manipulates child soldiers, takes Agu under his wing, giving him food, shelter, and a twisted sense of belonging.

Agu is initiated into the rebel army, forced to undergo brutal training and brainwashing. He is handed a machete and taught to kill, and soon, the horrors of war consume him. Under the Commandant’s influence, Agu transforms from an innocent boy into a soldier, committing unspeakable acts of violence against government forces and civilians alike. His sense of morality becomes blurred as he seeks the approval of the Commandant, who serves as both a father figure and a tyrant.

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