In a Better World

With a comprehendable story, superb cinematography, brilliant acting and a deep moral message, this film should not be missed. Avoiding use of any of the familiar film cliches and with everyone behaving as you might expect, "In a Better World" examines human conflict and violence from a supremely balanced and mature perspective. You are eased into understanding how people react the way they do, based on their experience and background - how in one environment (wealthy Denmark) the rules subtly differ from another harsher place (Sudan). So often we see what we believe to be extreme situations in our own comparatively safe western culture, we forget what life can be like for others. The simple device of contrasting conflict in Sudan with that of two Danish school boys, powerfully allows us to unpick the motives and feelings of the participants. In one case a local war lord will cut open the bellies of young pregnant women in order to settle a bet as to the sex of their children. In reality the conflicts created by a school bully and the mildly violent dominance of a protective father pale into insignificance by comparison, but the violence in both the Sudan and Denmark stem from the same flaws in human nature. In a better world we could all live peacefully, but in the meantime the world plays out its bitter story.

No Justice for Venables

In order for Jon Venables to receive justice, it was essential for him to remain anonymous and to be tried for any new crime without his identity being revealed. Why do we even know, at this stage, that he might have re-offended? 

It seems to me that the very release of the information that he is back in prison is itself a criminal act and not in the public interest. It has increased the likelihood of his jury knowing who he is, which will then prevent a trial at all, since his lawyers will rightly argue that he cannot be tried without his previous crime being known. This is being handled extremely badly. 

In any case, it was decided that this 10-year-old killer should be given a second chance at life - but now we are reneging on that decision. Of course being in a young offenders prison will not have been the best rehabilitation anyone could receive, but is regrettably the only one available.

The press are guilty of stirring up the potential lynch mob here. We see interviews with Jamie Bulger's mother, who of course is totally distraught. But I am sorry, she has no more right to know what is happening than any of us do. If we believe in the criminal justice system, then its decisions need to be followed through and not flouted by a blood thirsty press. Yes, justice must be seen to be done, but let justice be done first. The debate about how we treat a killer who was still at primary school can come afterwards.