First Hit: The film had some great shots of kites and kite fighting but in the end it wasn’t a strong or powerful film.
The hype of this film and the popularity of the book might have sunk this film more than the actual mediocrity of the film.
Without all the hype (publicity of the child actors' fate), I think the film might have been seen and judged more on its own merits. The plot is about an Afghan named Amir (played by Khalid Abdalla) who, after living much of his life in the United States, returns to Afghanistan to help out his childhood friend Hassan.
Much of the motivation for this trip is guilt from not helping Hassan when he witnessed him being raped by a older boy. Arriving home he learns that his childhood friend has a son who has been left in an orphanage. He decides he must help this boy and bring him back to the United States.
When attempting to rescue this child, he finds out that the child has been taken by a Taliban official who is sexually abusing the child. The twist is that the person abusing the child is the same person who abused Hassan (The boy’s father), Amir’s childhood friend.
I did not read the book and felt that the telegraphed plot and ending took away the power of the film and for those who read the book I am sure that film added nothing new.
Overall: A mediocre film of a strong story.