In an unnamed West African country, civil war erupts, and a young boy named Agu finds his life violently torn apart. Living a simple, happy life with his family in a small village, Agu spends his days with his father, mother, older brother, and baby sister. Despite the growing tensions and violence in the region, Agu’s family tries to maintain some sense of normalcy. They share moments of laughter and hope, even as the conflict looms closer to their doorstep.

One day, everything changes. Rebel forces sweep through their village, and Agu’s family is forced to flee. Agu is separated from his mother and sister, who manage to escape to safety. However, his father and brother are brutally killed by government soldiers during the chaos. Left behind, Agu is forced to fend for himself, wandering alone through the war-torn landscape.

Starving, lost, and traumatized, Agu is captured by a group of rebels led by the charismatic yet ruthless Commandant, played by Idris Elba. The Commandant leads a battalion of child soldiers, indoctrinating them into his brutal militia. Agu, overwhelmed by fear and the loss of his family, is manipulated into joining their ranks. Under the Commandant’s control, Agu is transformed from an innocent boy into a child soldier, committing horrific acts of violence in order to survive.

The Commandant exerts a fatherly influence over Agu, convincing him that the war offers him purpose and belonging. Through intense training, psychological manipulation, and abuse, the Commandant pushes Agu deeper into the brutal realities of war. Agu becomes desensitized to violence, participating in raids, executions, and massacres alongside other boys who have been similarly coerced.

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