"Jonah" is a 2013 short film that runs for 18 minutes (including credits). It is a co-production between the UK and Tansania, but don't worry: The language in here is only English and the two younger actors come from England too. The older actor does not, but he has no speaking parts really. This description also shows you that the first half of this relatively short movie takes place way earlier than the second half. It is a story about how a certain photograph changed the life and world of two young men completely. And not for the better as we find out at the very end. The director is Kibwe Tavares and writer is Jack Thorne and for both it is among their most known work. Actor Daniel Kaluuya is enjoying a really successful career right now with fairly big parts in films like "Sicario". His two co-leads are not as successful, but still have pretty solid careers as well.I mentioned coincidence already in the title and this is a famous subject in many films and has been so for a while, like Woody Allen's "Match Point". Here it is the story of a fish who randomly appears when a photograph is taken. So far so good. But the fact that the same man runs into the fish decades later and nobody has caught him, maybe even met him until then, is something that has nothing to do with realism anymore. Also the fact that the photograph resulted from a huge coincidence was also something that makes it difficult to care for the two protagonists really as they did not create something for their fame and popularity. And why would they become so famous anyway. I guess only so the filmmaker should show us that it destroyed their bond and friendship. On a more realistic note, nobody really would have cared about them, but all about the place and location instead, which is also true admittedly, but still. All in all, this film has more than a few struggles with story-telling and disappoints way too much in terms of that aspect, especially for a film under 20 minutes. I cannot give it a thumbs-down. Watch something else instead.

This was directed by Kibwe Tavares who made a 2011 short called ROBOTS OF BRIXTON . Tavares is a talented guy who obviously has a background in visual effects and considering the exceptionally poor green screen and CGI that we often get in a Hollywood blockbuster like I AM LEGEND if I was a film producer it might be a smart move to give Kibwe a phone call . However I'm not entirely convinced his talents lie in directing movies . Despite some very impressive 3D animation that looks like it belonged in the same dimension as the live action ROBOTS suffered quite badly from a muddled confused message and we see something similar here JONAH in its favour is self contained . Despite having an opening hook that perhaps resembles SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE a little bit too much for its own good the story really picks up when we're treated an effects extravaganza montage that genuinely feels like it belongs to the story . The problem is trying to guess what the story is actually saying . Bob mentions " the damaging effects of tourism " but I'm not entirely sure if that's the point that's being made . To me there's an element of " Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it " and this is reflected in the character arc of Mbwana who starts off as a simple street thief and quickly becomes a local celebrity . The downside is that this success is relatively brief and pines for lost success as well as his youth as he enters old age . Perhaps since it's set in a coastal town the subtext is also " time and tide wait for no man " ? That said subtext and parable is a difficult thing . Make it too sublime then you're going to complain its confused and make it too obvious you'll complain about being patronised with a simplistic story so I'll give Kibwe the benefit of the doubt and say my aforementioned reading of the story is how I interpreted it

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.