Zulu (2013)

Sometimes I download a movie thinking it is something other than it turns out to be. I thought ZULU was a remake of that great movie from the 60s where a British Garrison in South Africa was wiped out by Zulu warriors. This 2013 feature was not that movie.

Starring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom, Zulu is a crime thriller set in South Africa during the apartheid era – although it has the same title as the celebrated 1963 Cy Endfield Anglo-Zulu war film, which starred Michael Caine and Stanley Baker. Whitaker and Bloom play two policemen investigating a crime in a film described as part noir, part social study. Adapted from Caryl Férey's novel (also titled Zulu) by Julien Rappeneau, the film is shot entirely on location in South Africa.

Without knowing anything about the film I turned it on, expecting to turn it off when it became boring or difficult to follow. None of that happened here. I was pulled in right from the beginning by not only the story but the characters and all the issues they have to deal with in their own lives, while still trying to solve the murders of people in the Townships of South Africa.

I'll tell you when you know a movie is good. You are watching it and thinking how good the young male lead is in it. You think he looks familiar but you can't place him in anything else. Then you do your post movie review and you realize the actor is Orlando Bloom. Yes, THAT Orlando Bloom - Legolas - playing a smart cop who just drinks too much and whores around too much and has a poor relationship with his son and ex-wife. Who thought he could act? Not only act, but keep up with the always amazing Forrest Whitaker.

 

He is the other cop on the trail of some really nasty people with some really nasty ideas for the black people of South Africa. I admire the character he created. You know through the story that his pain runs deep but you would never know that from his quiet demeanour. Whitaker is hypnotic in the role.

For some reason my copy didn't have the subtitles for the translation for when some characters (the evil ones) were speaking Afrikans, that gutter language the Boers brought with them from Europe. I liked that I didn't know what those guys were saying. I had to figure it out by what English was spoken or the actions those conversations inspired. I really had to pay attention to the story and that was so enjoyable. For 100 minutes I enjoyed the journey because the movie asked me to use my brain.

Nothing is being re-invented here. This is a standard police story set in South Africa, an interesting place where you don't see too many movies set that are not all about Apartheid. This movie brings up all the issues surrounding Apartheid and the hearings that were held after it ended where the ones who did the crimes were pardoned if they confessed to their misdeeds. They called it Truth and Reconciliation. It did prevent a civil war and only cost a nation it's sense of justice.

I would recommend that you don't watch the trailer. It gives away the whole story. I think you will enjoy the experience more if you find out things as you go along. It's worth it. I am glad I took a chance on this one.