Film, ‘Jerusalema’
September 3, 2008 5 Comments
What’s it with the new South Africa and feature films (with few exceptions) about tsotsis to get at the changing social and economic landscape? This film’s tagline is “Welcome to the Promise Land” and the trailer makes that connection very clear. Hollywood and mainstream US critics love this tsotsi trope (which speaks to their own anxieties, btw).
I hope Jerusalema is not a knock-off of the Brazilian gangster film City of God as was suggested to me last week from South Africa. (You notice some parallels when you watch the trailer).
The film opened last Friday in South Africa. Here‘s the trailer on the film’s website.
It is not a cheap knock of “City of God” and it is unlike any South African film ever made. It’s just not that good. Like, at all.
This movie is probably one of the best to come out of South Africa. Tsotsi we all know was a mediocre tale of some lousy PETTY CRIMINAL. Jerusalema has street cred and characters you’d fear in real life. It might not win an oscar but its a movie that will surely be one that we will remember. It did’nt have a big bugdet nor as much promotional hype and media attention as Tsotsi but I guarantee you that this is a South African Classic. Its nothing like City of God, in fact it’s probably more like the South African sequel to Scarface. This is the best movie shot in Joburg PERIOD. Hollywood can go jump, with its over glamorised action that all feel the same. This a movie about real events,real characters in one of the most dangerous cities in the world(Gotham not included in list). Go watch Jerusalema and if you don’t see the Cult Classic that I see, I only have one word for you, VOETSEK!!(F*** OFF in SA slang)
What are you saying Plowman? Can’t you asses SA films without comparing them to completely different environs. Jerusalema is more credible than City of God finish en klaar. Don’t be jealous just b’cause someone upped the bar. SA film can only get better after this.
“SA film can only get better than this….” that means that this film isn’t that good and things can only get better, even though I understand what you are saying. And as far as I am concerned, I said that Jerusalema is NOT a cheap knock of City of God and that it is very much it’s own film.
And I can assess the film in ways that you cannot, because I am a member of the press, so please read my full review linked below before you make any judgements about my abilities.
http://fataculture.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/review-jerusalema/
Oh my bad, I didn’t realise that was you Mtutu, we’ve had this conversation before haven’t we? haha