I have not seen the remake and have no interest in seeing it, as I was very happy with this film and can't think WHY you'd want to mess with such a fine film (of course, when has this stopped Hollywood in the past?). I think part of the reason I loved the film is that it was NOT a simple anti-Apartheid film. While Apartheid is dealt with, I loved and respected how the evil that the film centers upon was a black man senselessly killing an innocent white person. It really took guts to attack this evil institution AND yet admit the senselessness of this murder.
However, the movie does not dwell on this murderer but on his very decent father, the reverend. You can really tell that the old man is completely torn and racked with pain over his son's deeds. And, no matter what he says or does to the victim's decent father (a man who himself is against Apartheid), he can't undo the act. Amazingly, the victim's father understands and appreciates this. So in the end, you are left with two fundamentally decent men who are struggling to come to terms with senseless violence but maintain their humanity and dignity. A brilliant film that is about people and society.
However, the movie does not dwell on this murderer but on his very decent father, the reverend. You can really tell that the old man is completely torn and racked with pain over his son's deeds. And, no matter what he says or does to the victim's decent father (a man who himself is against Apartheid), he can't undo the act. Amazingly, the victim's father understands and appreciates this. So in the end, you are left with two fundamentally decent men who are struggling to come to terms with senseless violence but maintain their humanity and dignity. A brilliant film that is about people and society.