Parents' Guide to

Burning Sands

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Violent movie about fraternity hazing; cursing, sex.

Movie NR 2017 96 minutes
Burning Sands Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Burning Sands Movie: Scene #1
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Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

Amy P.
Amy P. Parent of 4, 6, 10, 14 and 16-year-old
April 4, 2017
age 17+

Real, Insightful, Not for faint of heart

While some won't consider this a family movie, this really depends on the ages of your kids and what you consider valuable as a family. There's definitely graphic violence (paddling, hitting, kicking, etc. which results in injury), swearing and sex (a short scene with a partially naked couple along with some sounds and such in other parts of the movie). Since it's about college fraternities it's likely okay for older teens who can watch 17+ stuff and/or those entering or in college. The movie itself tackles a really tough topic with many layers, weaving deep insights about belonging, history, staying strong in the face of challenge, what that means and can bring that's both bad and good. All of the acting is stellar really, each playing their part of the whole to create a picture we can learn from. I feel there are plenty of positive messages shared about relationships, belonging, honesty, brotherhood, personal integrity and more, but the review here doesn't really hone in on them. The focus is much more on the violence and negative messages, which are plentiful as well, but the positive insights along the way shed light on them in subtle and ways. A couple of poignant Frederick Douglas quotes are woven through and even the very ending points to the main character's inner commitment, which of course shows itself when things get very rough. So, don't watch it with kids who it's not appropriate for, but if you want a movie that's real (although somewhat sensationalized of course) and tells a story of African-American fraternities working to create belonging and community (and sometimes take it too far), open your mind and watch the movie. It's not for the faint of heart, though, it's for those who want to understand - and those who are interested in positive change.
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What's the Story?

In BURNING SANDS, Zurich (Trevor Jackson) is a new student at Frederick Douglas University who is trying to survive as a fraternity pledge during "Hell Week." "Hell Week" is a time when fraternity pledges are made to endure a plethora of humiliations from fraternity brothers -- if Zurich can make it through "Hell Week," he will be a member of one of the most prestigious fraternities on campus, with access to beautiful girls, wild parties, and a supportive community with a rich history in the African-American community. But unlike traditional manifestations of "Hell Week," the physical and verbal abuse these pledges must endure looks less like a traditional rite-of-passage and more like excessive bullying, even culminating in Zurich sustaining a broken rib. As he tries to get through "Hell Week" while also balancing the demands of academia and his girlfriend, Zurich begins to doubt the beat-downs and humiliations he and the other pledges undergo, and begins to see the behavior of the fraternity brothers and those around him as a contrast to the ideals espoused by both the person the university was named for, as well as the ideals from the fraternity guidebook that they are made to memorize and frequently shout. Zurich contemplates breaking the "code of silence" that rules over what goes on, as the pledges turn against each other and go against their own moral codes, but when he finally does talk to university authorities, he realizes that they only see the traditions and are oblivious to how bad the hazing has gotten. Only one of Zurich's professors (Alfre Woodard) sees Zurich's innate leadership qualities, and has faith that he can summon the courage to somehow put a stop to what's happening and bring the fraternity system more in line with the ideals they espouse.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

This movie literally pulls no punches in its graphic portrayal of the beat-downs and humiliations pledges must endure during the "Hell Week" of an African-American fraternity. There's no sugarcoating during scene after scene of excessive hazing, and the realities of collegiate sex, drinking, and parties are shown. The acting and story are skillfully delivered, with a clear sense of what's at stake for the lead character Zurich, and why he's willing to endure a broken rib, intense bullying, and compromised values in the interests of joining an elite fraternity. The role of the fraternity in the African-American community, past and present, is clearly shown.

That said, what's missing in Burning Sands is character depth in the fraternity brothers engaged in these violent acts. In a film where the pledges, the adult authority figures, and the promiscuous party girl who is ordered and happily volunteers to sleep with each of the pledges are given enough space to show who they are and their motivations, there's no such depth to the frat brothers. With the exception of one brother who puts a stop to the hazing when it goes too far, the other brothers are little more than sadists, drunk on power. It seems like a missed opportunity -- if the adults in the movie are shown to be permissive and oblivious of a tradition that has gone in a horrible direction, there certainly could have been much more humanity shown in the perpetrators of the acts. They could have been shown to be just as wrapped up in the peer pressure and conformity-at-all-costs mindset that got everyone to this point; instead, they come across as two-dimensional bullies who beat up the weak and talk down to women. Best for older teens and adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about movies centered on life in college. How do movies set in colleges portray classes, parties, drinking, sex? How do they portray fraternities? How is Burning Sands similar to and different from other college movies?

  • What message is this movie trying to convey about fraternity hazing, especially fraternity hazing among African-American men?

  • How does this movie contrast the hopes and ideals of the African-American university and African-American fraternity where this movie takes place with contemporary realities and values?

  • How are adult authority figures represented in the movie? Do you think this is an accurate representation of a college's authority figures if faced with the kind of situation shown in the movie?

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