User reviews

A beautiful short by Kibwe Tavares starring Daniel Kaluuya who most will know from Get Out. In this tantalizing short he's a street kid who accidentally discovers a giant fish while out trying to make his fortune with his best friend. A simple lucky shot on their camera with the amazing giant jumping fish cements his fame and fortune and his small town transforms form the increased tourism, turning his little fishing town into a Neo Africa.

The film follows the rise and fall of both man and town, as the fish had never been seen again, now aged our young hero, now along and long forgotten as the man who spotted the biggest catch, shuffled through the ruins he heads out to sea and that's when the storytelling begins to overtake the dramatic visuals.

There's a meld of time and success, love and regret all mixed into the ending, the fish seems to be more of a symbol than a fine catch, but I think it's fluid enough to allow viewers to make up their own minds about what it represents for them.

When two young men with no prospects steal a camera, one of them gets a picture of giant fish, leaping out of the water. That fish makes the island famous and before long there are casinos and liquor stores and dance halls---all manner of smut. But there is a time thing going on here.

Two young men are getting by in Zanzibar by stealing off the few tourists that come through, although they long for more tourism to bring more money to the town and improve their lives. This opportunity presents itself when, while playing around with a stolen camera, the two men get a picture of a giant jumping fish and soon the city is transformed into a place of light, bustle and tourism.

Jonah is a very clever film and it works well enough so that you don't come out of it thinking "they managed to make a story to support those effects" but rather "the effects worked well in support of that story" – a big difference and one that too many people making effects showcases forget. The plot here sets up a commentary on the short-term benefits of mass tourism when compared to the longer term damage to the area but fundamentally to the thing that drew the crowds in the first place. Usually this is the natural beauty of a place and in this case that is represented by the fish which, while we see the impact on the city, we later see this manifested in a change to the fish and the seabed itself. It is perhaps not the most subtle message but it is engagingly delivered and it ends with a good conclusion – that nature will ultimately go on.

The effects are very impressive but, like I say, the most impressive thing about them is that they are not done in the hunt for a narrative but rather directly in support of one. They are also excellent whether they be the development of the city before our eyes, or the detailed beauty of the fish and the polluted landscape under the sea – everything looks great and flows well. The performances are solid with British actors Kaluuya and Kirby feeling natural and convincing early on, drawing the viewer into the film. The direction throughout is very strong with great shots and pacing – certainly enough to overlook that the opening sequence feels too much like a lift of Slumdog Millionaire.

An impressive short film which engages with its narrative, commentary and visual effects.

The fundamental virtue - the solide story, a parable in fact, served by special effects. It is a profound beautiful film for clear and precise message about youth and its dreams, about a picture changing everything, about effects of tourism and richness, about fall and aparences, about the last fight. Short, admirable work and inspired portrait of near reality in bitter poetic nuances.