Review of Catch a Fire (2006) by Jim S — 07 Jan 2016

THIS IS A REBOOT OF A REVIEW I WROTE BACK IN 2007.

This film stars Tim Robins (best known for "The Shawshank Redemption" and his Oscar winning performance in "Mystic River), and Derek Luke, a fine young African-American actor who's previous credits include "Antwone Fisher", "Friday Night Lights" and "Biker Boyz".

Based on true events, the film takes place in 1980 apartheid South Africa and tells the story of Patrick Chamusso (played by Derek Luke), a humble black South African oil refinery foreman who has two young daughters and a beautiful wife named Precious.

One day his simple life is torn apart when there is a bombing at the oil refinery and he is snatched from his home by the Gestapo-like Police Security who accuse him of being a part of the terrorist attack. He is imprisoned and viciously tortured by his interrogator Colonel Nic Vos (Tim Robins).

Vos is a well versed manipulator, that even goes so far as to bring Patrick home to his family for Sunday brunch where they make nice around a tense table and then Vos takes Patrick out into the backyard and continues to integrate him.

Still, Patrick proclaims his innocents and finally Vos stoops so low as to arrest and torture Patrick's lovely wife Precious. Patrick gives a false confession to save his family, but Vos, sensing that Patrick is innocent, releases him.

The lingering anger that wells inside of Patrick drives him to leave his family for Mozambique, where he joins up with the ANC and becomes a rebel political operative.

Australian director Philip Noyce ("Patriot Games" and "The Bone Collector"), creates an air of tension from the very first frames and his camera is intensely intimate as it explore the lives of the oppressed and the oppressors. The story moves along briskly and does it's best to avoid melodramatic pot holes as it races towards it's made for Hollywood, true-life ending.

Derek Luke is fabulous as Patrick, showing a great range of emotion and strength playing a man who is beaten down only to rise up again.

Tim Robins imbibes Vos with an intense, simmering evil as he slowly creeps under the skin of his interrogation victims.

I was only in my early 20's when I really started to take notice of the apartheid oppression that was smothering South Africa and I remember the pressure the rest of the world placed upon its government to treat all of its citizens as equals.

I also remember the end of South African apartheid, when Nelson Mandela was finally released form prison and de Clerk was forced to usher his country into the 20th century.

When I watched "Catch A Fire", with it's scenes of innocent people fighting against an evil regime, I couldn't help but compare it to the real life wars in the world today. History repeats itself with only subtle changes.