Bamako

One of my friends and I sat down to watch Bamako together, hoping that one would be better than two in trying to find meaning in and interpret the text. Throughout much of the movie, that we sometimes thought to be a documentary of some sort, we would just look at one another in confusion or laugh hysterically in conjunction at what we perceived to be the randomness of some of the events within the film. Though of course, we quickly realized our perceptions of randomness was very much culturally defined and that we must look at the film through a critical lens of our reading on IMF and World Bank.

What I can say about the film is that it offers very little information to the casual observer, although that may not be its intended audience, as to the films main motivation: the conflict created by the IMF and World Bank in developing countries. However, once this basic stage is set, the viewer does receive both sides of the argument in the very effective stage of a trial. Though, what this film attempts to provide though ultimately fails in, is to provide a supporting storyline to anchor the audience in the film. In fact I wasn’t even fully aware of the relationship between Melé and Chaka; there is no character or plot development. Furthermore, the ending begs for an explanation.