Scanialara
You won't be disappointed!
PodBill
Just what I expected
Pacionsbo
Absolutely Fantastic
SnoopyStyle
It's a period between 1990 to 1994 in South Africa. The Inkatha Movement comprising of Zulu warriors helped by elements of the white Apartheid security forces are fighting a civil war with the ANC. Greg Marinovich (Ryan Phillippe) is a freelance photographer new to the scene. He faces high risks to go inside a Zulu work camp to take pictures and sells them to the newspaper The Star. He begins a relationship with photo editor Robin Comley (Malin Akerman). With other photographers Kevin Carter (Taylor Kitsch), João Silva, and Ken Oosterbroek, the group becomes known as the Bang-Bang Club.The photographing inside the townships is thrilling. Those scenes have the intensity of the unknown. The story of the four photographers is a muddle. There are compelling sections but the overall flow is lacking. Phillippe and Kitsch have the bravado of youthful exuberance. The love story is perfunctory. Kitsch has nice character arch with that Sudan picture. Overall, this movie has great sections but the total is not as great as its individual parts.
OJT
I'm afraid I had this in my shelf for 2 years before I saw it, and that us a travesty in it's self. This is the best photographer-film I ever saw, and it's even a true story. Journalism is of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and photographers have to be even closer to the horrific events which occur around in the world. They are obliged to refer and make proof of what's happening.Directed by the South African Steven Silver, this Canadian/South African film is based in a book, "The bang-bang club", a true story about four journalists working in South Africa, photographing civilian war there, during Apartheid. It's a film which tells a story, gives out the dilemmas, and moral issues in a well played movie. Biggest star, Ryan Phillippe, does once again a great main role. He has no problems carrying this on his shoulders.This film deserves a bigger audience than it's had. Casting Ryan Phillippe is a smart thing her, giving the film some of it's international audience. And I hope it'll continue. Because this is a very good a realistically told movie. Way better than a Hollywood production would have told it, though I would have been seen of tenfolds more.As a teacher in media, I would recommend this as a fine media film. Not only about photographing and journalism in dangerous situations around the world, but also as a film showing the dilemma, moral questions involved as well as a good told filmed story. It basically tells that this kind of journalism and photographing is not for everyone.Photo technically th film learns you some, but it tells more about editing and the media's use of photographers and pictures, even when they don't dare to tell the truth, and when they compete, and try to take credit, even when they where too afraid to use the material early on. Also the very difficult dilemma if a journalist should interfere in a situation or not when able to do so.The film overall works well. It loses a little tension from time to time, seen as a thriller, but then it is a drama. Maybe a tiny little too much focus on a love story, but for some this will add to the story what they need to enjoy the film fully. It's sometime brutal, but it tells the truth. Brutally honest.Th rating here on IMDb is too low. In my opinion this should have has a rating of 7,2-7,5 compared to other films in this landscape. I, go myself, think it's a clear 8/10. Recommended!
badajoz-1
A brave film to make about an horrendous period of history - the end of apartheid in South Africa 1990-94. But it is obvious why the USA rejected it - it is about Africa and black Africans murdering each other rather violently, while white men in the leads take photos ( and Nelson Mandela does not appear as saint/messiah - in fact, his supporters kill as violently as the 'bad' Zulus and are referred to as 'comrades' a euphemism for communists!). It is a true story taken from a book written by two surviving photographers from a group of four who earned the soubriquet of 'The Bang Bang Club.' They went into the SA townships to chronicle the violence - some organised by the dying white government - and won two Pulitzer prizes in the course of the time covered. Yes, it is told by the white men and women, but it also tells in full frontal what the black population were doing to each other, and why and how it felt. There is even one black character who harangues the lead character, Greg Marinovitch, at every opportunity about white men taking photos for a white audience. But like Zimou's latest film about the Rape of Nanking, telling the story from a white westerner's perspective is apparently totally taboo to US film critics. They forget that South Africa is the so-called rainbow nation - black, white, Asian, and mixed race (Coloured as referred to in the film - oh, dear!).The direction of the re-staged violence is dramatic and extremely potent - and not cinematic for some (got to have the goodies and the baddies not a melee!). The writing is jagged and in not too much depth of character (that would need many hours on a psychiatrist's couch!), but the acting is brave and bravura. Ryan Phillippe as Marinovitch carries on regardless but is caught short at the end - the deaths of friends finally bringing home what he has been hiding from - while Tyler Kitsch grabs hold of the flashy junkie role as Kevin, who cannot eventually face the world in the face of guilt over what he has witnessed. the rest of the acting, especially the black cameos of victims of the is wretchingly painful, and almost realist TV by actual victims. A film that should have a much wider audience - as much as Eastwood's feel-good movie of the 1995 Rugby World Cup!
A A
I watched this movie by chance because it was on the TV so I didn't have high expectations. I've never read the book and I hadn't heard of the Bang Bang Club so this was all new to me. A very interesting movie which leaves you wondering. Are those photographers brave men who show the public what it needs to see? Or are they adrenaline driven mavericks who do nothing when they see horrible crimes overwhelmed by the possibility of a good shot?I'm not a big fan of Ryan Phillippe and this movie didn't change my opinion. Somehow I found his character lifeless which is odd because he seems to be the main character in this movie. The love story is unnecessary and gave the impression that the filmmakers desperately were looking for a reason to have woman in the main cast. However the rest of the cast is brilliant especially Taylor Kitsch who I hope will have a big career in the years to come.This is a fine movie and I highly recommend it. However be informed that it is not a feel-good movie and sometimes hard to take because of the amount of violence and tragedy.
