20 Best Netflix Original Movies

Beasts of No Nation follows a young boy called Agu (Abraham Attah), who lives in an undisclosed African country that has just erupted into civil war. Over the course of the film, Agu is forced to become a child soldier and must continuously fight for his life.

Sporting a powerhouse performance from a villainous Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation was written and directed by True Detective creator Cary Fukunaga, who handles the war drama's troubling subject matter with striking insight and uncompromising honesty.

Despite the dark tone and tough-to-stomach themes, though, the film is also surprisingly hopeful, digging into the deep complexities of war and its human cost whilst allowing much of the film's evil to be overcome. Though not an easy film to sit through, the acting, message and striking final shot make Beasts of No Nation an absolute must-watch.