Review of The Power of One (1992) by Fox H — 25 Apr 2004

The story follows the life of Peekay, an English boy as he grows up in the surrounding of turbulent south africa in the midst of WWII. His life starts in a farm, where he feels very much at home with the local customs and people...

Until one day due to his mother's illness he was enrolled in a boarding school.

The school, for young Peekay, was the start of his life lessons, as the majority of the students are Boers who have no liking to the English Rooinek after the end of the Boer War. To make it worse, the Boer students are older than him... and are "followers" of Adolf Hitler's philosophy of the Aryan Race. Their hatred for the English, fired by the onset of WWII in Europe, produces a terrifying test for Peekay.

All is not lost, later on he met and befriended a German music professor (Doc) who gave him lessons in science, music and life philosophy - and especially about african cactus! As the heat of the WWII begins to reach SA, the professor has to be detained in a jail, along with other native criminals. Peekay continues his lessons, but becomes ever aware of the inequality between blacks and whites, and especially with "half-castes" whom are both but do not belong to either. Peekay also begins boxing lessons under tutelage of a "yellow" kaffir, who taught him survival in hostile surroundings...

This movie is about his coming of age, under the guidance of various "elders", all from different backgrounds and races, but ultimately with the same advice to the young boy - stand up to what he thinks is right, and "first from the head and then from the heart". Throughout the movie it shows how Peekay attempts to live up to his own principles, going againts the authority, tricks of survival (Boer students in the school, giving classes to the native africans he befriended in the jail and the boxing matches).

Despite the glaring deviations from the book (written by Bryce Courtenay, of the same title), the movie still stands up quite well. Admittedly there are some over-simplifications in the settings of the background scenario (political & social issues, i.e. depiction of the beginnings of aparthied), it does not mar the movie.

Boxing scenes are pretty good Peekay (Stephen Dorf) is a convincing boxer with Geel Piet (Morgan Freeman) as an equally convincing boxing-coach. The soundtrack in the movie is excellent (written by Hans Zimmer, lyrics by Lebo M and sung by the Bulawayo Church Choir) - one of the best scores I've ever heard. Cinematic shots are very pleasing, albeit not enough (could've given the audience a bit more!).

Depends I suppose in what your mood is when you watch the film. I thoroughly enjoyed it - wept in parts, laughed in others, thoughtful most of the rest.