IJW : "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" (2019)

Rating: 3/10

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was a major disappointment for me. While it aims to be an inspirational story, its screenplay relies too heavily on emotion and not enough on logical storytelling.

My biggest issue is the film's internal consistency. It establishes that the village is suffering from a devastating famine, yet it also shows that there is a well containing water. However, the story never explains why no one attempts any conventional or manual methods of irrigation before treating the windmill as the only possible solution. A stronger screenplay would have shown why those alternatives failed, making William's invention feel like a genuine last resort rather than an arbitrary plot device.

The windmill itself also feels exaggerated. The film presents a small homemade setup as if it single-handedly transforms the family's situation, but it never convincingly explains how such a modest system could make such a dramatic difference. Instead of earning that payoff through believable cause and effect, the film simply expects the audience to accept it.

Another issue is that the movie establishes a desperate society where people are willing to fight and loot over a few kilograms of grain, yet it never explores the obvious consequences of one family suddenly producing food. The screenplay introduces these harsh realities when convenient and then ignores them when they become inconvenient for the plot.

Overall, I found the film emotionally manipulative rather than genuinely inspiring. It prioritizes sentiment over believable storytelling and often asks the audience to overlook important logical gaps. For viewers who value strong internal logic and coherent screenwriting, this film is likely to be frustrating.

My Rating: 3/10