Johnny Mad Dog
Encyclopedia
Johnny Mad Dog is a 2008 French/Liberian film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, based on the novel Johnny Chien Méchant (2002) by the Congolese
author Emmanuel Dongala
, and starring Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay and Joseph Duo.
It follows a group of child soldiers
fighting in 2003, during the end of the second Liberia
n civil war
. The actors are mostly aged 10 to 15, all were unknowns when cast; some were themselves child soldiers. The film follows their march towards the capital Monrovia
, and follows them in a gritty realistic manner as they move though a series of towns and villages where they terrify and often execute the populace.
The soldiers are depicted as almost feral, committing acts of pillage and rape, with scant regard for even their own lives. They are heavily armed, and wear a variety of outlandish outfits – butterfly wings and a wedding dress – and have nicknames such as No Good Advice, Captain Dust to Dust and Chicken Hair. Johnny Mad Dog leads the small group of younger militia
. He is commanded by the older General Never Die, who feeds the boys cocaine
and tells them "You don’t wanna die; don’t be born".
Congolese
Congoese may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the Republic of the Congo in Africa, located west of the Congo River* Something of, from, or related to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, through which the Congo River flows...
author Emmanuel Dongala
Emmanuel Dongala
Emmanuel Boundzéki Dongala is a Congolese chemist and novelist. He is currently Richard B. Fisher Chair in Natural Sciences at Bard College at Simon's Rock....
, and starring Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay and Joseph Duo.
It follows a group of child soldiers
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
fighting in 2003, during the end of the second Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n civil war
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
. The actors are mostly aged 10 to 15, all were unknowns when cast; some were themselves child soldiers. The film follows their march towards the capital Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, and follows them in a gritty realistic manner as they move though a series of towns and villages where they terrify and often execute the populace.
The soldiers are depicted as almost feral, committing acts of pillage and rape, with scant regard for even their own lives. They are heavily armed, and wear a variety of outlandish outfits – butterfly wings and a wedding dress – and have nicknames such as No Good Advice, Captain Dust to Dust and Chicken Hair. Johnny Mad Dog leads the small group of younger militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. He is commanded by the older General Never Die, who feeds the boys cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and tells them "You don’t wanna die; don’t be born".