Pluskylang Great Film overall

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

benjaminburt Without film, we could never have The Devil's Miner. Magazines, books, photos, songs, and stories cannot convey the raw emotion and the broad story like a film can. The story is of a Bolivian boy from Potosi who must work as a miner to help support his family. One of the main ideas captured in the film is the dichotomy between the surface world and the mine. The surface world is ruled by Jesus, but within the mine, the miners are at the mercy of the "Tio," or the devil. This framing device actually gives more direct meaning to the story: the miners have become subjugated to the earth and to the devil. What's refreshing in this story is that there's no mustache-twirling evil businessman enslaving these miners. The evil is in the earth itself, both above and below the surface. The mine conspires to kill the miners, rob them of light and of their lungs and limbs, while the outside world also shows no mercy to the miners, as they are forced to work to make a living. The film doesn't portray this as some social evil, the rich preying on the weak, but rather the fallen world preying on its inhabitants. Whether or not the devil is real, the film obviously communicates that the miners, and by extension, all of us, are at the mercy of a fallen earth.This documentary is nicely shot, and makes its audience feel uncomfortable in all the right ways. It makes you see and feel the situation. It's what documentary is all about. The film doesn't have much re-watch value and is not especially influential, so I don't feel good giving anything more than an 8, but definitely a great film.

museumofdave Basilio is a boy you won't forget; only 14, he works below the Bolivian earth as a miner, working with his younger brother to find what little silver might be left beneath the chilly mud of the long-mined mountain. What dazzled me in this documentary is how filmmakers Davidson and Ladkani disappear, how they create a full picture of a young life in peril, how objectively they allow Basilio to tell his tale; occasionally you're aware of the lush sunsets that contrast with the grey mud the boy tramps through on his way to a long shift in unbelievably risky tunnels; it would be easy to continue to extol this films many virtues; The Devil's Miner is an important film about the need for education in a place where the basic necessities are barely obtainable--it's also about courage and self-determination. The fine documentary is certainly not your usual entertainment, but it's not easily forgotten.

andlaw99 Yes, this documentary is about poor, fatherless children who must work in the hazardous mines to support their families. I won't go into a lot of detail about the specifics of the film--you can find that in other user comments. There are multitudes of documentaries detailing the sad stories the less fortunate members of the world are forced to live every day. So what? What makes this movie different? Two things: 1) the incredible maturity and strength of character of Basilio Vargas (the 14 year old miner the documentary is centered around) and 2) the expert way the filmmakers let the story tell itself instead of force-feeding the viewer pity and guilt.I am not a filmmaker, but I think it took a great deal of wisdom for them to realize that this young man could relate the story on his own better than any amount of narration or scripted propaganda. Basilio is heroic, mature, a dreamer with goals and aspirations, a fatherless child, a father to his siblings, a breadwinner for the family, and he never complains about any of it.Watching this film makes you want to comfort Basilio and then get down on your knees and ask God for forgiveness for being such an ungrateful and spoiled Westerner. Somehow though, you come away from it wishing you could show it to everyone you know, and wishing you could tell Basilio how much you admire him.

Jill Bornor Fourteen-year-old Basilio Vargas supports his family (mother, younger brother and sister) by working long hours in the local silver mine. He worships "el Tio," the devil, while working underground, because the devil rules the dark tunnels of the cave. Outside, he is a devout Catholic who worships Christ. Thus, he torn between the two worlds in which he lives. Basilio is a fine example of an industrious, patient and loyal individual; he puts his own health, his education, his family, and his position as provider for them above all else. He is wise beyond his years, and his eloquence reflects his intelligence and forthrightness. Those interested in South America and the Spanish language will be especially intrigued by this view of Basilio and rural life in Bolivia.