Directed by:
Jérôme SalleCinematography:
Denis RoudenComposer:
Alexandre DesplatCast:
Orlando Bloom, Forest Whitaker, Regardt van den Bergh, Patrick Lyster, Tanya van Graan, Danny Keogh, Natasha Loring, Brendon Daniels, Lise Slabber (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
As chief of police, Ali Neuman investigates the mysterious circumstances surrounding the macabre murder of the daughter of former rugby champion Stewart Weitz, he makes a startling discovery. A drug whose composition is unknown appears to be the cause of the homicide... (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (8)
A very good crime drama in a classic style. It is often compared to the currently fashionable Nordic book/film production, but I think it is much closer to the good old French stuff. After all, it was the French who wrote and filmed Zulu, so no wonder. The slowly unfolding screenplay cares about the characters, it also doesn't spare any suspense or surprises, the acting is also flawless, because Forest Whitaker can't even be bad, and in the closing credits I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the good Orlando Bloom-like actor is Orlando Bloom. Thanks to the gripping desert finale (in which it's really not a problem to imagine Lin Ventura in Forest Whitaker's place), I'm thinking about a fifth star.
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Since I had no expectations, I had no idea what I was getting into, so I am pleasantly surprised. Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker make one hell of a duo here, both of them do a decent acting job. The setting of the film is properly disturbing, gritty and realistically portrayed, and the decent action and quite high brutality are also nice. I wasn't bored for a minute. 75%.
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The subject and the script actually only recycle formulas that have been used many times and are not surprising, moreover, the outcome is predictable and during the final scene when settling the score with the villains, the viewer will recall that Whitaker remembered Orlando Bloom's performance in The Hobbit and, just like Legolas, he mercilessly mows down orcs, his detective instills a sense of satisfaction in combating evil. By the way, I have a problem with the character played by Orlando Bloom. His undisciplined cop, drunkard, and womanizer is not exactly likable, which wouldn't be a problem if the screenwriter and director weren't aiming for the exact opposite and trying to shape him as a likable rogue. Zulu differs from typical American genre productions in its setting in the exotic environment of South Africa and, above all, in its raw depiction of brutal violence. Unfortunately, I have to admit that even the presence of my favorite Forest Whitaker doesn't bring it up to more than 3 stars and a 60% overall impression. I cannot consider Zulu a realistic drama, as it drowns too much in genre clichés.
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A brave effort by the French, keeping their typical traditions of hard, raw and direct crime dramas, and are not afraid to experiment a bit (exotic South Africa). It’s a very rough and explicit blood fest in places, but unfortunately it is entertaining mainly because of its form and style, and the performances. The script is too simple and generic. The surprisingly well matched Forest Whitaker-Orlando Bloom duo is a delight. The latter in particular portrays a character of a perpetually drunk and stoned cop, the exact opposite of his acting career so far, and I have a feeling that he enjoyed it quite a bit.
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Definitely never going on holiday to South Africa. A somber, brutal thriller. Excellent acting, great direction. A classic investigation into the death of a white girl turns into a bloodbath combining drug dealing with an ethnic purge. A lot of unpleasant things happen (severing limbs, castration by dog), but the most horrifying is just how calmly the characters accept it all. P.S: From now on Bloom should take only this type of role.
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