Catch a Fire (2006)

Gee, an intelligent film about an interesting topic. I'd like a thousand more like this, please. It even treats the audience like we're intelligent, rather than pointing out the ramifications of each twist. And they managed to do that with the dramatized treatment of an actual matter. Just imagine what tremendously clever & entertaining totally fictional stories Hollywood COULD give us if we insisted upon it. Rise up and accept no less! -- Having read a selection of other postings, I will add that my comments refer to this as if it was a film, rather than the Al Quaida training manual others see it as. I'm sorry that, when I watch a film, I look to be entertained and have my horizons widened; I guess there is something deficient about me that I think for myself. Apparently I failed in watching this film by not developing any respect for communist tyranny or religious terrorism. I also once listened to an old recording of a Nazi band without starting to hate the Jews or wishing to invade my neighbors. I'm sorry. From the director's, "If we were going to defeat terrorism, the only way was to get an understanding of the terrorist mind," I guess he has the same belief about movies as me.

Philip Noyce's politically charged thriller starring Academy Award winner Tim Robbins and Derek Luke is brilliant and striking picture. When Patrick Chamusso (Luke) is wrongfully charged with terrorist charges and his family violently offended by the leader of the operation Nik Vos, (Robbins) Patrick joins the rebellion to fight against the regime.As the film touches on the many tones of politics, racism, and economic problems in South Africa, the emotional and dramatic quality of the film is the beauty of it. While the screenplay has flaws in character arc, the film is as beautiful as it is tragic. Derek Luke puts forth the best performance of his short career and is on his way to many potent and demanding roles in the future. His humanity and heroism shown in Patrick carries the film on his shoulders and when years pass, this will be film we will remember Luke's breakout turn besides Antwone Fisher.Tim Robbins brings forth a frightening turn with his spot on accent but is a little distracting and a miscast. With no direction for his character to go, many questions are left unanswered and frustrates the viewer. He still shows us he is one of the best working actors today when put in the right role.Bonnie Henna who puts forth an admirable effort as the supportive wife, "Precious," leaves the audience a bit disenchanted but has the strong will that makes the viewer worry for her. While Patrick is training and gets his codename, "Hotstuff" in which the film is adapted from of the same title, Henna is given enough screen time to run with her role and soar.Noyce creates some great cinematic moments with Luke but I have to say, I give Luke much of the credit. He completely engulfed himself in his role. His charm and charisma is his strongest attribute and lets the film succeed as much as it can. The film however never really "catches fire" rather sparks up all over the place.Grade: ***/****

Catch a Fire is overly formulaic and doesn't have anything new to say about the apartheid. But it does look good and it's well acted and slickly directed. The film shares many plot similarities to other Joseph Campbell influenced narratives like the Star Wars movies or Braveheart. The film is set in South Africa in 1980. The film's reluctant hero is Patrick Chamusso who works as a foreman at the Secunda oil refinery. Patrick has a good life: he owns a car, has a beautiful wife and in his spare time, he coaches a local boys soccer team.The freedom fighters / terrorists of the African National Congress (ANC) are fighting to overthrow South Africa's white-led government. As a black man Patrick suffers the occasional humiliation at the hands of the country's police but he doesn't complain or get involved in politics. The film doesn't dwell on the fact that Patrick is a refugee from the Mozambique civil war which ended in 1992, with over 900,000 dying from fighting and starvation.In many Hollywood films white South Africans are often portrayed as evil and sadistic. Tim Robbins plays Nic Vos / Darth Vader a colonel in the country's anti-terrorism police. Vos is shown as a devoted husband and father but his job is to capture terrorists. After the ANC plants a bomb at the refinery, Patrick comes under suspicion and is arrested. Patrick is a womanizer and his initial alibi is exposed as a lie. He is beaten-up but when his wife is tortured he becomes angry and seeks revenge. Although found to be innocent and released, Patrick travels to Mozambique and joins an ANC terrorism school. He returns to South Africa and blows up the refinery. Patrick plays an unenthusiastic warrior who helps overthrow an evil regime. He is arrested again, and spends over ten years at the Robben Island prison with Nelson Mandela. Most recent films about Africa paint it in a negative light. They show corrupt, genocidal hellholes, child soldiers, wide-scale barbarism, anarchy and starvation. What happened in South Africa now seems relatively low key by comparison. The film also fails to shock because TV shows like 24 seem to condone torture in terrorist interrogations. With the present day reality of prisons like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo the actions of Vos and his men seem almost tame. Overall, it's a well-made movie.

Catch a Fire This movie was released in 2006. But commercially it did not do well, and that it why there were no distributors for Europe market. At last we got to see this movie after nearly a year in the box.This movie is a true story of Patrick Chamusso during (1980-90s) South Africa's fight against apartheid regimes. Derek Luke plays Patrick and Bonnie Mbuli plays his wife; whereas Tim Robbins plays Colonel Nic Vos who represents the monstrous evil of white rule.This movie depicted a making of a terrorist. Especially in today's world of globalization where Multi-nationals companies are spreading their wings to acquire meager resources of indigenous people this movie becomes very relevant for all to see. There are more than 16 regions within India where terrorist insurgency and naxal movements are flourishing to fight the evil of state government.The director Philip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games) has always made political statements and movies that show the ugly side of white supremacy. He has been hated by many for showing it throughout his career.A special mention should be made of cinematographer Ron Fortunato and Garry Phillips for beautifully capturing the beauty of South Africa. There is no background musical score in the movie but the Sound Department team has mixed the African folk songs and dance as integrated part of the narrative.Derek and Bonnie - look a perfect pair and both are very good looking. Derek matches his previous award winning performance of Antwone Fisher; he chooses true story characters for his roles and excels in them. Tim Robbin plays the Colonel (he has this next door looking guy) – but gives cold shivers with his controlled performance.The beautiful close-up shots depict every emotion of the characters and I was in the movie since its beginning. There are a few slack holes in the script and even though the movie is very good – one feels that something is missing.All in all a sensitive movie to see for everyone; especially all white communities – who invaded different nations and ruled them as their own land. I end with a quote from the movie - What will your children say about you? (Stars 7.75 out of 10)