Review of Zulu (1964) by Doctor Faustus A — 22 Aug 2007
A brilliant telling of the battle at Rorke's Drift during which a garrison of 139 British soldiers repelled a Zulu force of four thousand, for which eleven were awarded Victoria Crosses. Although it's a rousing tale of the British Empire, the film doesn't avoid showing the psychological effect the slaughter has on the garrison, nor does it cast the Zulu as simple bloodthirsty savage.
This gives the film a quality that allows it to surpass many tales of the 'Wild West' and their one-dimensional 'Injun' villains. Caine is, as always, brilliant, and the rest of the cast manages to keep up.
An interesting aside: my dog gets all skittish when the Zulus are performing their magnificent war chants. Best bit: "Front rank fire! Rear rank fire!" "Reload! ".
This review of Zulu (1964) was written by Doctor Faustus A on 22 Aug 2007.
Zulu has generally received positive reviews.
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