Zulu (2013)

Policemen Ali Sokhela and Brian Epkeen investigate the brutal murder of a young white woman, apparently provoked by the availability of a new illegal drug and somehow connected to the disappearance of black street children.

Director:

Jérôme Salle

Writers:

Caryl Ferey (book), Julien Rappeneau

Stars:

Orlando Bloom, Forest Whitaker, Conrad Kemp

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Orlando Bloom	...	Brian Epkeen
Forest Whitaker	...	Ali Sokhela
Conrad Kemp	...	Dan Fletcher
Inge Beckmann	...	Ruby
Tinarie van Wyk Loots	...	Claire Fletcher
Regardt van den Bergh	...	De Beer
Randall Majiet	...	Cat
Patrick Lyster	...	Dr. Joost Opperman
Joelle Kayembe	...	Zina
Tanya van Graan	...	Tara
Danny Keogh	...	Kruger
Christian Bennett	...	Stan
Iman Isaacs	...	Janet
Nomhle Nkonyeni	...	Josephina (as Nomhle Nkoyeni)
Denise Newman	...	Shebeen Queen

Storyline

As a child, Ali Neuman narrowly escaped being murdered by Inkatha, a militant political party at war with Nelson Mandela's African National Congress. Only he and his mother survived the carnage of those years. But as with many survivors, the psychological scars remain. Today, Ali is chief of the homicide branch of the South African police in Cape Town. One of his staff is Brian Epkeen, a free-wheeling white officer whose family was originally involved in the establishment of apartheid but who works well with Neuman. Together they have to deal with crime that inevitably exists in sprawling areas of un- and under- employed people, crime exacerbated by gangs, both local and from other parts of Africa. Their job gets even more difficult when the corpses of two young women are found. A new evil has been introduced in the city and a new drug has been introduced to its residents, including both murder victims. At the chaotic crossroads where brutality and modernization collide, the echoes of...

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Plot Keywords:

male nudity | police officer | cape town south africa | apartheid | murder | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, grisly images, language, sexuality/nudity and drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

France South Africa

Language:

English Afrikaans

Release Date:

4 December 2013 (France)

Also Known As:

Cape Town Cops

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eskwad, Pathé, Lobster Tree

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Djimon Hounsou was originally set to star, but dropped out and was replaced by Forest Whitaker.

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Quotes

Brian Epkeen: Yebo Baba.
Ali Sokhela: You look like hell.
Brian Epkeen: I'm happy to see you too.

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Connections

References Snatch (2000)

User Reviews

intelligent action movie that keeps you guessing

The story is set in Post-Mandela South Africa, with blacks and whites working side by side as both criminals and cops. The central mystery is the solution of a mysterious drug that hits the shack lined streets of the poor black neighborhoods who have seen little change in their poverty with the onset of the "rainbow nation", plus the mysterious disappearance of young black pre-teen boys. There is only violence as a solution; between criminals, between conflicting police officers and a vicious and extremely equal battle between good and evil.

Orlando Bloom does "edgie" as well as Colin Farrell, and that's saying a lot. He's a callous ladies man who contrasts nicely with Forest Whitakers mysterious sexuality. Bloom's character is a lost soul seeking redemption. Forest Whitaker is almost saintly in his forgiveness of the terrible wrongs done to him in childhood (shown in horrifying flashback). Both characters change, grow, suffer and adapt. There are excellent female roles; Forest Whitakers black mom, Orlando Blooms ex-wife who can't completely give up on him, an ambitious black geek detective who earns her place in a man's world by ingenious computer detective work, and a taunting stripper who captures Forest Whitakers attention. There are even excellent female supporting roles; a casual witness who uses Orlando Bloom for sex and not the other way around, and one of the nastiest female villains to ever point an assault rifle. Even secondary villains and police are memorable This is not a formula movie, where you know everything that will happen in the first 10 minutes. It's an intelligent action movie that keeps you guessing until the very end. You can watch Zulu several times, and continually catch more and more minute plot twists, amazing scenes depicting the beauty and squalor of South Africa and the importance of walk on characters that contribute to the depth of the movie. It just keeps getting better and better.