I'm not really into thrillers and crime movies, but I had to watch this film because its director, Fabien Martorell, is an old buddy from secondary school and I'm so proud he made it.
And although I'm not into thrillers, mainly because I'm a very sensitive person and that kind of movies tends to scare the hell out of me, not to mention the fact that I find fast-paced action-packed movies that are full of unexpected twists and turns hard to follow (they require a type of perception that I lack), I have to confess that I enjoyed watching Collision, mainly because of the interesting stories it tells about parents-children relationships, friendship, the social mess and corruption in South Africa, and the dilemmas the characters face. Of course, it's a bit of a pity these stories were not as developed as I would have liked them to be, but then Collision would have been a different movie, more of a psychological drama maybe, and probably much longer than it is now (1h 39min, which is a perfect length). Also, the violence is not crudely displayed (no graphic bloodshed) but hinted at and handled with subtlety, which shows respect for the viewers' sensitivity and intelligence.
At first, the film seems to be going all over the place, but don't worry, everything comes together eventually, and the story forms an intricate mesh that was skilfully woven... around a very strong final scene that takes place in a pitch dark Johannesburg.
I found the actors very convincing, especially Mpho Sebeng, who plays Thando.
On top of being suspenseful, Collision also contains funny moments (a lot of the film's humor rests on the shoulders of Thando, I loved the scene that shows Cecil and Thando getting high together on pot), as well as moving and poetic ones (beautiful - but too short - scene showing Palesa and her Nigerian boyfriend quietly dancing together at the back of his shop in a room filled with specks of light reminiscent of fireflies, while a violent riot is taking place right outside the door).
All in all, I think Collision is really worth watching: it is cinematic, aesthetic, taut, complex, multi-layered, involving and entertaining, with scenes that linger in the memory.
Well done to Fabien Martorell and his crew!
And although I'm not into thrillers, mainly because I'm a very sensitive person and that kind of movies tends to scare the hell out of me, not to mention the fact that I find fast-paced action-packed movies that are full of unexpected twists and turns hard to follow (they require a type of perception that I lack), I have to confess that I enjoyed watching Collision, mainly because of the interesting stories it tells about parents-children relationships, friendship, the social mess and corruption in South Africa, and the dilemmas the characters face. Of course, it's a bit of a pity these stories were not as developed as I would have liked them to be, but then Collision would have been a different movie, more of a psychological drama maybe, and probably much longer than it is now (1h 39min, which is a perfect length). Also, the violence is not crudely displayed (no graphic bloodshed) but hinted at and handled with subtlety, which shows respect for the viewers' sensitivity and intelligence.
At first, the film seems to be going all over the place, but don't worry, everything comes together eventually, and the story forms an intricate mesh that was skilfully woven... around a very strong final scene that takes place in a pitch dark Johannesburg.
I found the actors very convincing, especially Mpho Sebeng, who plays Thando.
On top of being suspenseful, Collision also contains funny moments (a lot of the film's humor rests on the shoulders of Thando, I loved the scene that shows Cecil and Thando getting high together on pot), as well as moving and poetic ones (beautiful - but too short - scene showing Palesa and her Nigerian boyfriend quietly dancing together at the back of his shop in a room filled with specks of light reminiscent of fireflies, while a violent riot is taking place right outside the door).
All in all, I think Collision is really worth watching: it is cinematic, aesthetic, taut, complex, multi-layered, involving and entertaining, with scenes that linger in the memory.
Well done to Fabien Martorell and his crew!