Freetown

PG-13
Starring: Henry Adofo, Michael Attram, Alphonse Menyo, Phillip Adekunle Michael, Clement Amegayie, Bright Dodoo, Great Ejiro, Robert Conder and Stacy Afful
Running Time: 1 Hour and 56 Minutes

"Freetown" is based on actual events that took place during the bloody civil war in the capital city of Monrovia, Liberia in West Africa in 1989. The warring factions pitted the Krahn vs the Gio and Mano tribes.
A group of young Latter Day Saint  missionaries are working diligently to search, teach and help the local people any way they can. As the situation continues to worsen, the missionaries find that they can no longer safely stay there with their existence being in peril. With people being confronted and asked directly, from which tribe they descended. If they were not from the right tribe they were immediately executed. It was a horrific situation where thousands of civilians were massacred and hundreds of thousands fled their villages. Under the direction of their Mission President, President Cunningham (Robert Conder) they are instructed to flee Monrovia and set their sights for Freetown in the neighboring country of Sierra Leone. President Cunningham called upon a member of his local ward, Philip Abubakar (Henry Adofo) to drive six missionaries to Freetown in his tiny beat-up car over very rough and impoverished country roads with many dangerous rebel-held checkpoints to get through. They had several alarming encounters while on their journey. They also had many funny and humorous moments where the missionaries are all cramped inside the tiny car in the sweltering heat and humidity. However, they never lost their sense of purpose or the reason they had chosen to serve The Lord!
I found this movie to be much better than what I had anticipated it would be. I felt like the audience was also pulled right into the dramatic sequence of events as well. "Freetown" was gripping and riveting. A real edge of your seat thrill-ride!
This is Garrett Batty's second movie. His first movie was released in 2013, the very successful "The Saratov Approach".
"Freetown" was incredible, it has a very professional feel to it. The music and photography were amazing! It was shot on location exclusively in Ghana, Africa with all local people.
Garrett Batty just  happens to be my wonderful next door neighbor, Sheryl's son. He is a great young man and comes from a wonderful family!
Parents be advised: "Freetown" is rated PG-13 for war-torn reality and the violence associated with war. I think children ages seven and over will be fine with this movie.
I am giving "Freetown" four bags of popcorn.