Review | Jojo Rabbit film review: Taika Waititi’s Nazi comedy is hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking
- New Zealander channels Charlie Chaplin and Mel Brooks with story of a Hitler Youth trainee and his imaginary best friend Adolf Hitler, played by the director
- The most irreverent anti-war satire in years, it repeatedly ridicules fanaticism. It could not be more relevant with far-right extremism again on the rise
4/5 stars
Following in the footsteps of legendary Hollywood satirists Charlie Chaplin, Ernst Lubitsch and Mel Brooks, New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi ( Thor: Ragnarok ) sets out to ridicule Adolf Hitler and the entire Third Reich in his absurd World War II comedy Jojo Rabbit.
Centring on the struggles of a 10-year-old Hitler Youth trainee, whose imaginary best friend is Der Führer himself, Waititi’s award-winning adaptation of Christine Leunens’ novel Caging Skies is by turns hilarious, horrifying and ultimately heartbreaking.
Roman Griffin Davis is wonderful as Jojo, the confused young lad living in war-torn Germany, who has already lost his sister and father to the conflict. Subjected to endless combat training and anti-Semitic propaganda, Jojo wants nothing more than to rid the world of scaly, fork-tongued Jews, and be the best Nazi he can be. But when he discovers a young Jewish girl hiding in his attic, Jojo begins to question everything he has been taught, even the advice of his best friend, Adolf (Waititi).
At a time when far-right extremism is once again raising its ugly head, Jojo Rabbit could not be more relevant and necessary. While never making light of its shocking subject matter, Waititi scores repeated laughs highlighting the ridiculous nature of indoctrination and fanaticism, as filtered through the ill-informed logic of impressionable young boys.