Catch a Fire (2006)

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The picture shows life in Apartheid-era South Africa, it deals about the real story of Patrick Chamusso(Derek Luke), an oil refinery foreman, soccer coach and good father of family . He's married to Precious(Bonnie Henna) and with children. The president Botha's government rules in iron hand of the supremacist white minority over the black population in an oppressive system. When happen an explosion in the refinery Patrick is arrested by police colonel Nic Vos(Tim Robbins).The secretive torture and sadism that follows in custody leads to his changing ideals. His wife is also arrested and then truly starts to watch the atrocities, forced to become freedom fighter and then he goes into action. Rebellion against the repressive government breaks out his mind. He's attempting to change his world for the better but at the expense of using terrorist means. Then he goes to Mozambique where is trained by the local terrorist guerrilla and he joins the ANC, African National Congress.This is an exciting and thrilling movie based on real events.This story about apartheid is very compelling made and deserving a fine treatment with poignant moments.It's completely convincing and makes a moving and powerful statement about the evil of the racism. Superb cast with fine all round performances; particularly from Derek Luke, he does a very good job, he's surprisingly good in the role of dad turned terrorist, and excellent Tim Robbins as sadistic torturer.The remainder of the casting was also competent enough and did splendid acting.Evocative cinematography by Garry Phillips and Ron Fortunato. Adequate musical score with African sounds by Philip Miller . The motion picture is professionally directed by Phillip Noyce. Another films about ¨Apartheid¨ theme are the following: ¨ Cry the beloved country¨with Sidney Poitier; ¨The power of one¨ with Armin Mueller Stall and Steven Dorff;¨A world apart¨by Chris Menges with Barbara Hershey and Jodhi May; ¨A white dry season¨with Marlon Brando; ¨Cry Freedom¨ by Richard Attemborough with Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline; and the biographies, as ¨Mandela¨ with Danny Glover and Alfre Woodward as Winnie and ¨Mandela and DeKlerk¨, among others.

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.

Vos says:"Between you and me Patrick,apartheid cannot last -25 million blacks, 3 million white people". In the time in which movie takes place there was 5 million whites in South Africa, 3 million remained today. Movie also does not depict in detail white civillains suffering from ANC. Movie portrays ANC actions against property-factories ,railways and similar. It does not mentions actions against white civilians for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Street_bombing Only in one place Vos's daughter mentions that her friends parents were killed at sleep. It also does not say anything about ANC detention camps where people were tortured and executed without trial: http://www.doj.gov.za/trc/report/finalreport/TRC%20VOLUME%202.pdf Throughout the movie "they took our land" cry can be heard. It is worth remembering that blacks are not the oldest inhabitants of South Africa, the Bushmen are the oldest. They were displaced and massacred from South Africa by Bantu tribes.

This film didn't have the attention it would have deserved, at least in Europe (no attention at all in Italy..) but it's quite riveting. Elevated and empowered by Tim Robbin's and Derek Luke's performances "Catch a fire" has the right impact and vibrancy. It should raise important political questions in a world obsessed with terrorism and it's also filled with well - staged action scenes. The apartheid era is properly described and the social history developing in this context is certainly remarkable, though not flawless. Compared to other productions dealing with the same subject this one offers a perspective a bit different and more mature and ends up with a surprising forgiveness