Based on the true story of four competitive adrenaline jockey photographers, The Bang Bang Club offers up an accurate, intense and dramatic portrayal of the real men who put their lives on the line during the height of the post apartheid violence between the ANC party and the Zulus. Armed with their cameras and quick wit, Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Kevin Carter and Ken Oosterbroek entered the combat zones so that they could show the world, through their pictures, how brutal the fighting had gotten in South Africa. As a result of their efforts, two of the men had won Pulitzer prizes for their amazing work.
Directed by Steven Silver, The Bang Bang Club stars Taylor Kitsch (Wolverine), Frank Rautenbach, Neels Van Jaarsveld, Malin Akerman (Watchmen) and Ryan Phillippe (The Lincoln Lawyer). Led by the talented Silver, I thought the acting was pretty good, the guys were able to nail their accents, which surprised me since I’ve been to South Africa and know it well. They also were able to portray the right amount of candor, enthusiasm and depression that the real men experienced in the heart of this conflict. There were a lot of fun times and then there were a handful of significantly dark times and so I applaud these gentlemen for the way they handled these difficult roles.
Shooting on location did wonders for this movie. I had visited one or two townships in SA and I was surprised to see how accurate the portrayals of the townships were, it added so much more authenticity to the film.
The one aspect that I thought brought the most legitimacy to this film was the fact that you don’t have to be a soldier to experience the psychological effects of war. Like infantrymen, these photojournalists saw some of the most violent attacks and decapitated bodies up close that it was bound to make them go insane. Imagine seeing someone slashed with machetes, lit on fire and then cracked in the skull with another weapon, yeah it’s crazy and that’s just one of the things these guys witnessed. It was these effects plus the added political and racial pressure that helped propel some of the morals of this violent and historic story.
Even with parts of the film feeling a tad scripted, one too many romance scenes, and a narrative that just felt a bit repetitive, the acting is what ultimately kept the film together. From all the partying, politics, personal struggles and violence, these photographers were able to accomplish their goals because of their sheer determination, and that is exactly what the actors were able to convey to the audience.
Rating: A solid adrenaline fueled drama (6.7/10)
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