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Hansie: A True Story (2008)
A factual, but boring look at the life of one of the most controversial men in South African History
I went into this movie expecting the worst, but hoping for the best. Which is probably the best way to approach it.
I'm not going to repeat the plot, as I'm pretty sure anybody reading this will know the basic outline of the movie. (Well at least anybody that comes from South Africa, or other cricket loving nations).
What I do want to mention in this review is the actual quality of the film, in regards to things such as cinematography, script, acting etc.
This film seemed to have a higher production budget than many other South African films. The film itself looked clearer and less grainy than many other films produced here. There were some absolutely gorgeous shots of the Cape area, especially of Blouberg Strand and in and around Fancourt (George).
The shots of India also seemed authentic, although, since I've never been there I can't be absolutely certain, but they were gorgeous!
Now for the negative aspects.
I thought, in general, that the script sucked. It was extremely on the nose, as though it was written for those who do not want to think and figure things out for themselves.
I also thought they could have spent more time on Hansie's dealings with the Indian bookies, and his reasons for dealing with them, as in the end the only real reason we received was that he loved money... And that was only mentioned towards the end of the movie. We didn't get a glimpse into his thought processes whilst he did all these things. The only time I thought I actually knew why he did it was the very first time, when Donald told him to try to up the amount just for fun - After that I had no idea of Hansie's reasonings for doing the things he did.
Another aspect of the film that really grated, was that, for the most part, the acting was sub-par to dismal. Francois Rautenbach did okay as Hansie, nothing Oscar worthy, but he was amongst the best the film had to offer. Unfortunately the same can't be said for Sarah Thompson - A big part of that had to do with her accent, as at times it seemed like she didn't even try to conceal her American accent.
So in summary, this was a pretty average movie, with some positive aspects, but could have been so much better had they spent a bit more time on the script and with a couple of cast changes.
Yankee Zulu (1993)
Brilliant movie for anyone who understands South African humour and culture.
I agree with many of the people who posted comments here that are from SA. This movie is based on South African Humour, the acting isn't as bad as most people say, many people just doesn't understand this type of humour.
The movie was released in 1993, people must understand this was a really volatile difficult time in SA, and to have such a movie released, that clearly stretches racial barriers was a great risk, but it was worth it. Both Black and White South Africans found this extremely funny, and in a way it was able to overcome most racial barriers of the time.
I have asked many of my black friends if they weren't offended when they watched it the first time and most said that they weren't, simply because it poked fun at all races. It was hilarious, and I have to agree, the best work of both actors' careers.
I can't see many people in other countries truly enjoying this if they don't understand South African Culture, but if you did enjoy it I'm really glad! Again, this was made for a South African Audience on a small budget, that said, it still stays one of my favourite movies!