Review of Catch a Fire (2006) by Rika B — 04 Jun 2007
A story about how a man came to stand up against apartheid in South Africa.
To be honest, I did not go into the film expecting a great film.Reviews were mostly mediocre. And I must agree to an extent -- it does get preachy towards the end with an abundance of one-liners and symbolic imagery -- but it is one of those rare films that doesn't tell a one-dimensional story and succeeds doing so. Perhaps it is Tim Robbin's yet again under-stated acting, or a reconciliatory approach by the Director--it gives the film more meaning than other films shot in Africa trying to exploit opressors in straight black and white terms.
The story is ultimately about apartheid and racial issues should be the main topic, you'd think. But what poured out onto the screen was just a man's life--one that was already complicated enough, and obviously not a super-hero. Some parts may have been euphemistic.
It had a great sequences for not being an action flick, making some of the scenes very exciting to watch. Too bad Tim Robbins wasn't in any of them. Not much to explore in terms of directorial style, though.
Surprisingly, I felt refreshed and contemplative after the film. I though I would just yawn and let it slide as a 'nice try'. No, it definitely made its point. You can preach all you want, but imagining Tim Robbins as an evil man is just not possible!
June 4, 2007.
This review of Catch a Fire (2006) was written by Rika B on 04 Jun 2007.
Catch a Fire has generally received positive reviews.
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