Review of The White Lioness (1996) by Brian C — 21 Sep 2009
A very mediocre film of a terrific mystery/thriller novel. Like the novel, Swedish detective Kurt Wallander investigates the murder of a local real-estate agent, only to come across a plot by white South Africans to assassinate Nelson Mandela. The novel is an excellent mix of police procedural and espionage, and the film does capture a certain "Day Of The Jackal" vibe.
The pluses: Rolf Lassgard is an excellent Wallander, and Jesper Christensen is creepier than hell as the villainous former KGB agent. And though it doesn't seem to hold a lasting impact like in the novels, it's still nice to see here that Wallander is heavily effected by having to take another person's life.
On the downside, this film is just really ugly to watch. It looks like a TV movie from the '70s, and I don't mean in the sense of production values - the print just looks dirty and bland. The visual style is nothing to write home about, either, which doesn't help.
This review of The White Lioness (1996) was written by Brian C on 21 Sep 2009.
The White Lioness has generally received positive reviews.
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