The topic of this movie is very interesting, and it is the main reason for seeing it. At the beginning we arrive to South Africa at the moment of the fall of the apartheid. All we know about it are several fuzzy shots of violence during the opening credits, and now we listen to testimonies of victims and their families.
This is a powerful experience, and the good side of the movie. The fact that there are people believing in peace and not revenge, despite of all the evil they suffered, affected me strongly.
Unfortunately, the movie also has many flaws. Although Boorman is one of my favorite directors, this looks like a TV film from an inexperienced author. One of the reasons may be the fact that he used natives for most of the roles.
But also there are some outrageous scenes. The main example is the one in which a boy whose parents were killed before him, and who couldn't speak for years because of this, hugs their murderer at the hearing. That practically ruins most of the impression gained up to that point.
So I guess this is not a good movie, but not something you should avoid either. See it and decide for yourself.
This is a powerful experience, and the good side of the movie. The fact that there are people believing in peace and not revenge, despite of all the evil they suffered, affected me strongly.
Unfortunately, the movie also has many flaws. Although Boorman is one of my favorite directors, this looks like a TV film from an inexperienced author. One of the reasons may be the fact that he used natives for most of the roles.
But also there are some outrageous scenes. The main example is the one in which a boy whose parents were killed before him, and who couldn't speak for years because of this, hugs their murderer at the hearing. That practically ruins most of the impression gained up to that point.
So I guess this is not a good movie, but not something you should avoid either. See it and decide for yourself.