An audience favorite at last year’s Fantastic Fest, I Declare War, directed by Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson, is a small film that embraces big ideas about the precariously thin line between fantasy violence and the real thing. The fact that its universe is populated only by children makes it all that more compelling and at times… chilling. A deft blending of themes that evoke Battle Royale and Lord Of The Flies with a vibe that veers from Stand By Me (if it were directed by Sam Fuller instead of Rob Reiner) into Apocalypse Now re-imagined as an after school TV special, IDW is a gutsy bit of film making. The directors may not succeed in hitting all their targets with the precision of Obama’s drones, but they score often enough to remind us that war is hell and hell often germinates in one’s own backyard. The full metal jackets may be tinfoil but their core is still hate-filled.

I Declare War takes the tiny betrayals, insecurities and jealousies that turn children against other and makes us realize that the rifts are not so different than those that erupt into war between countries. They’re primal. The only difference is in their scale. The kids may not be able to reach the “button” yet, but they will.

Drafthouse Films is releasing I Declare War to theaters this Friday. It is also available on demand at the film’s website as well as Amazon and other outlets. 

Armed with nothing more than twigs, their imaginations and a simple set of rules, a group of 12-year-olds engaged in a lively game of Capture the Flag in the neighborhood woods start dangerously blurring the lines between make-believe and reality.  Rocks = Grenades.  Trees = Control towers.  Sticks = Submachine guns.  The youthful innocence of the game gradually takes on a different tone as the quest for victory pushes the boundaries of friendship.  The would-be warriors get a searing glimpse of humanity’s dark side as their combat scenario takes them beyond the rules of the game and into an adventure where fantasy combat clashes with the real world.

Drafthouse is known for its quirky movie tie-ins and with I Declare War they’ve come up with collectible trading cards designed by James White. Dangerous Minds was given a first-view of the cards and I’m sharing a few with you, dear reader. Check out all of the cards at the Drafthouse Films Facebook page.