Movie Review: Red Scorpion

Red Scorpion a.k.a Red Exterminator

Abramoff Production, Scorpion Film Production, South Africa, USA, Namibia, 1988.

Lt. Nikolai Rachenko (Dolph Lundgren) is a tough Spetznaz officer. Soviet Union sends him to Mombaka to assassinate anti-communist rebel leader Ango Sundata (Ruben Nthodi). He must infiltrate the rebels and gain their trust. After wrecking a local bar he gets into a prison where Sundata's commander Kallunda (Al White) is held. Also foul-mouthed American reporter Dewey Ferguson (M. Emmet Walsh) is captured.

Lt. Nikolai Rachenko

Kallunda

Dewey Ferguson

The trio escapes prison and heads for Kallunda's home village. However the Soviets got there first and there are only smoking ruins left. Nikolai begins to question the Soviet occupation. When he fails to kill Sundata, the rebels abandon him in the desert. Nikolai's Russian and Cuban comrades find him and torture him. Nikolai has to escape again. Bushman Gao (Regopstaan) finds him and heals his wounds. Now it is time to help the rebels to drive away the evil Commies!

Ango Sundata

Gao

Col. Zayas (Carmen Argenziano)

"Red Scorpion" is a good old Cold War era Rambo-style action movie that has the twist of introducing a Russian hero who realizes that the Soviet system oppresses people. The African setting makes it feel a bit smarter than usual flicks of the genre. Also the addition of the Bushmans brings some emotional depth to the story with couple of touching scenes. This is one of Dolph's best action movies. Regopstaan as Gao the Bushman is fun. Brion James drops in as a cruel prison warden. Considering the low budget the action looks good and does not need to be outshined by the bigger budget Hollywood actioners. Goremaster Tom Savini made some special effects.

Nikolai in action

Something funny happens to Nikolai's bayonet:

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#28. Movie that has a colour in its name)

Rating: Good

Starring: Dolph Lundgren, M. Emmet Walsh, Al White, T.P. McKenna, Carmen Argenziano, Alex Colon, Brion James, Ruben Nthodi, Vuzi Dibukwana, James Mthoba, Dinky Motsemme, Ernest Ndlovu, Thapelo Mofokeng, Mxolisi Hulana, Nicky Rebelo, Drummond Marais, Charles Comyn, Tullio Moneta, Jurgen Hellberg, Graham Clarke, Irene Stephano, Nomsa Nene, Elijah Dhlamini, Patrick Shai, Peter Se-Puma, Tu Nokwe, Salathial Maake, Regopstaan, Anthony Fridjhon, Greg Latter, Rob Smith, Neo Matsunyane, Joe Mafela, Isaac Mavimbela, David Vlok

Director: Joseph Zito

Movie Review: The Gods Must Be Crazy

The Gods Must Be Crazy
CAT Films, Mimosa Films, Botswana, South Africa, 1980.

In Kalahari desert lives Bushman tribe, who are content people without notion of private property. Their living is carefree in contrast to busy people living in the city. One day Xi (N!xau) finds an empty Coca-Cola bottle thrown from an airplane. Maybe the gods gave them the bottle. The bottle is an useful tool and soon everyone wants to use it. It has a similar effect on the natives as the One Ring on the people of Middle Earth. As the bottle causes argument, Xi tries to get rid of it. It is more difficult than expected so Xi says he will travel to the Mount Doom end of the Earth to throw it away. 

Xi

Meanwhile in Barani there is a violent coup attempt. President (Ken Gampu) sends army to kill coup leader Sam Boga (Louw Verwey). The army and terrorists have their little war in the banana plantation. Although the terrorists are deadly assassins, they are also comically inept. Finally the terrorists cross the border and escape to Botswana.

Sam Boga

Kate Thompson (Sandra Prinsloo) is stressed with city life and she gets a calm job as teacher in a small village. Clumsy Scientist Andrew Steyn (Marius Weyers) drives to fetch her in his junk car. All kinds of funny events occur on the way. The car breaks and they are left in the middle of savanna. Xi meets them and thinks they are gods. He tries to give the bottle to them. Later Xi gets in trouble with law but Andrew and his mechanic Mpudi (Michael Thys) save him by offering Xi a job as an animal tracker and guide. The terrorist cause trouble and Xi, Andrew and Mpudi must save the kidnapped children. 

Andrew and preacher (Jamie Uys)

Mpudi

Kate

This is a funny comedy about cultural differences. Both Xi and Andrew and his friends cause hilarity trying to understand each other's weird habits. Narrator (Paddy O'Byrne) entertainingly tells how Xi sees the modern culture. Partially the movie is a documentary about the Bushmen, giving a bit too idealized picture of the Bushman way of life. But also Kate and Andrew have their misunderstandings. "When I meet women, my brain switches off, I turn into a complete idiot" explains Andrew (I feel you bro). The story feels episodic with some hit-or-miss jokes but the story has charm and the local actors and extras bring authenticity. The farcical slapstick action is often sped-up making it look like a Benny Hill- skit. Even the semi-serious terrorist side-plot is amusing with them slipping on bananas or having trouble with their bazooka. Watched in the proper mood, this is fun and also a bit satirical story.

Ironically real life bushman N!Xau had no concept of money but became aware of money's worth and demanded roughly $50000 for the sequel. The official two films got also three unofficial sequels made in Hong Kong.

Funny events occur when Andrew is on the wheel

Xi travels to the end of the Earth

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#33. Movie whose director is not from Europe or North America)

Rating: Good

Starring: Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo , N!xau, Louw Verwey, Michael Thys, Nic de Jager, Fanyana H. Sidumo, Joe Seakatsie, Brian O'Shaughnessy, Ken Gampu, Paddy O'Byrne, Graham Armitage, Vera Blacker, Katinka Heyns, Jamie Uys 

Director: Jamie Uys

Movie Review: Engineering an Empire: Egypt

Engineering an Empire: Egypt 

History Channel, KPI Productions, USA, 2006. 

In 3000 B.C. the yearly flooding of the Nile caused devastation and and famine. Still the flood also made farming possible as it brought nutritious soil. Capital city Memphis remained dry because of protecting walls built by engineers of Pharaoh Menes. His armies united Upper and Lower Egypt into great kingdom. Early Egyptians were expert dam builders although sometimes the dams would burst. The success of Memphis encouraged Pharaohs to build even bigger structures. 

Peter Weller in Egypt

In 2667 B.C. Pharaoh Djoser started construction of the first stone pyramid. Chief architect was Imhotep and he was also high-priest and physician. (In popular culture he is known as "The Mummy.") As there was not experience about building huge stone constructs, much of the complex was built using trial and error. Later Pharaohs built bigger and better pyramids with smooth sides. Pharaoh Khufu perfected the art of pyramid building with the Great Pyramid at Giza. 

Pyramid construction site

The Bent Pyramid of Pharaoh Snefru

Sesostris III went on conquering Nubia to exploit its gold mines. To secure the borders he built military fortresses comparable to medieval castles. However the fortresses were lost 200 years later and the empire weakened. Later Pharaohs would go on conquering neighbouring areas but the areas would change the owner many times.

Egyptian palace

One curious building project was the city of Amarna. In 1352 B.C. Amenhotep IV wanted to diminish the power of Amun's priests. He elevated god Aton's importance and renamed himself Akhenaten. He moved the capital from Thebe to Luxor. City of Amarna was one of the first planned cities in the world. However the Pharaoh was unpopular and after his death the city was quickly abandoned. 

Akhenaten

Finally the Egyptian empire collapsed because of economic recession, weak leaders and foreign conquerors but the big stone buildings endured.

Although there must be hundreds of documentaries about Egypt, this has a slightly different point of view. The main focus of this documentary is in the huge engineering projects of the ancient Egypt. It is quite informative about the building techniques summing up also the evolution of pyramids. It also sums up the crucial moments in history of Egypt.  "Engineering an Empire" seems to be an interesting series but I have only this one part.

Actor Peter Weller, who has also master's degree in Roman and Renaissance Art, is the host of the show. He visits the historical places in Egypt and also enters Djoser's and Snefru's tomb crawling in the narrow corridors. In addition to experts telling the facts there are also some well produced dramatisations and computer animations. 

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#9. Documentary)

Rating: Very good

Starring: Michael Carroll, Zahi Hawass, Charles Van Siclen, Peter Weller, Lawrence Berman, Salima Ikram, Ann Macy Roth, Michael Jones, Stephen P.Harvey, John Darnell, Colleen Manassa

Director: Christopher Cassel

Movie Review: Sniper: Reloaded

Sniper: Reloaded 

Stage 6 Films, ApolloMovie Beteiligungs, Film Afrika Worldwide, USA, South Africa, 2011. 

Fourth in the "Sniper"- series and first without Tom Berenger. 

Son of sniper legend Thomas Beckett Marine Sgt. Brandon Beckett (Chad Michael Collins) is accused of going AWOL in Congo. Working under UN he was training Congolese regular army and Captain Ngoba (Khulu M. Skenjana) to fight terrorists. Col. Hans Jaeger (Richard Sammel) sends Beckett and Captain Nelson (Conrad Kemp) ro rescue a plantation owner Jean Van Brunt (Rob Fruithof).

Sgt. Brandon Beckett

Col. Hans Jaeger

Enemy sniper tries to kill Van Brunt and several Marines die. Hunter Martin Chandler (Patrick Lyster) saves Beckett. Beckett and Chandler decide to take Van Brunt's daughter Kelli (Kayla Privett) to safety. The rebels kidnap orphaned children. Beckett gets wounded but he promises to come back later to help Chandler. 

Martin Chandler

Great scenery

Richard Miller (Billy Zane) from the first "Sniper" movie is now training snipers. Richard Miller is not the shell shocked rookie he was in the first film, but more tougher and experienced sniper. Miller goes to get Beckett back home. Beckett wants revenge but Miller says he can't survive against a sniper. After a romance with Lieutenant Ellen Abramowitz (Annabel Wright) Beckett starts his mission. Beckett dislikes sniping but has to learn it if he wants to survive. He gets advice and help from Chandler and Miller. However there is a traitor in the UN forces.

Richard Miller

Captain Ngoba

Enemy sniper (Justin Strydom)

The movie is action-wise good and the filming locations are beautiful. However the plot holes appearing after the first half are terrible. For example Ngoba is all the time locking horns with Beckett. There is a scene where Ngoba watches the baddie sniper going to mission, so it looks that Ngoba is understanding that something fishy is going on. This makes his actions afterwards illogical. It is almost as the script writers intended to make Ngoba more important to the plot but then sacrificed the setup just to get one more bigger firefight near the end. Also the actions of the main bad guy are illogical, why send sniper to the plantation at the same time when the Marines are there also?

Rating: Average 

Starring: Clyde Berning, Chad Michael Collins, Billy Zane, Annabel Wright, Hlomla Dandala, Rob Fruithof, Calvin Holloway, Conrad Kemp, Chumisa Kosa, Martin Le Maitre, Patrick Lyster, Huguette Marara, Hlelo Nhlapo, Tefo Paya, Kayla Privett, Noluthando Radebe, Nic Rasenti, Richard Sammel, Justin Shaw, Bonginkosi Shibe, Khulu M. Skenjana, Justin Strydom, Ian Van Der Heyden, Adrian Waldron

Director: Claudio Fäh

British Empire in Film Blogathon Special: Khartoum

Khartoum

Starring: Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier, Richard Johnson, Ralph Richardson, Alexander Knox, Johnny Sekka, Nigel Green, Michael Horden, Peter Arne 

Director:  Basil Dearden, Eliot Elisofon 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., United Artists,  Julian Blaustein Productions Ltd., UK, 1966.

This is my contribution for "British Empire in Film" Blogathon (November 14-17 2014) hosted by Phantom Empires and The Stalking Moon. Visit their sites for great articles on movies about the British Empire!

http://phantomempires.weebly.com/movies/announcement-the-british-empire-blogathon

http://thestalkingmoon.weebly.com/the-stalking-moon/announcing-the-british-empire-in-film-blogathon

The review will contain lots of spoilers, but those who knows the history of Major-General Charles George Gordon and Sudan should already know how the movie will end. For those who don't it pays to study the history of Mahdist War beforehand!

For the background a short history of Sudan is in place:
Since 1821 Sudan had been under Ottoman rule and also Egypt was part of Ottoman Empire (Turkey). Because Egypt was heavily debted for building the Suez Canal, Great Britain bought the Egyptian share of the canal and the British gained influence in Egypt. So technically Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire but the British and French (who also funded the canal) were the power holders in the Egyptian government. In 1860s the slave trade in Sudan was gradually suppressed. In 1870s Gordon was made made a colonel in the Egyptian army. In 1874 Gordon Turkish Khedive Ismail made Gordon the governor of the Equatorial Provinces of Sudan. However banning the slave trade caused an economical crisis in northern Sudan. There was also a war between Egypt and Abyssinia (later renamed Ethiopia) in 1875. The unrest increased in Sudan. An insurrection broke out in Darfur but after negotiations, Gordon managed to get many of the insurgents to join his side. In 1870s also a Muslim cleric Muhammad Ahmad began to preach for renewal of faith and liberation of Sudan. He proclaimed to be Mahdi, the promised redeemer of the Islamic world. After Khedive Ismail abdicated, Gordon's support was weakened. In 1879 he fought against slave traders in Darfur. He tried again peace negotiations with Abyssinia but was captured and returned to Egypt. He resigned in 1880 and returned to Europe being exhausted by years of hard work. In 1881 Mahdi declared a holy war against Turkish oppressors. Egypt failed to arrest Mahdi and his supporters. In 1882 the poorly equipped Mahdist troops destroyed an Egyptian army of 4000 men. After those events the story begins.

Like some of Hollywood epics of the era the movie begins with four minute of overture music, composed by Frank Cordell. That is followed by a poetic prologue about Nile.

In 1880s Mahdi, the Expected One calls the desert tribes for Holy War. To fight them, Egypt hires an army of 10000 men led by English commander Colonel Hicks (Edward Underdown). In 1883 the troops are sent to Sudan. The heavy march in hot desert takes it's toll, and that is just what Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad (Laurence Olivier) expects! The desert weary Egyptian troops are ambushed and killed. The Mahdist troops acquire a large number of modern rifles. 

Colonel Hicks leading the troops

Attacking Mahdist troops

The battle is fierce and ends bad for the British

In Britain the Prime Minister Gladstone (Ralph Richardson) is shocked by the defeat of a British officer. Britain's honour is at risk! Also it would be disastrous to Egypt should the arsenal in Khartoum fall into wrong hands. Charles George 'Chinese' Gordon (Charlton Heston) is sent on an unofficial mission to evacuate Egyptians and soldiers from Khartoum. Gordon is a mystic and religious man, a man of principle. He is not a good example of military discipline but he has gained a status of popular hero after many successful military campaigns. If Gordon fails the government will deny all involvement.

Prime Minister Gladstone getting bad news

Mahdi

Colonel J.D.H. Stewart (Richard Johnson) is assigned to observe Gordon and report to Gladstone. He must ensure that Gordon does not endanger his own life. However Gordon does not take orders from anyone. Gordon needs help from Zobeir Pasha (Zia Mohyeddin), an former slave trader whom Gordon put out of business. Gordon also killed Zobeir's son as a warning to slave traders. Gordon goes to Khartoum as governor-general. Gordon offers Sudan for Zobeir if he comes to Khartoum with his troops. However without official British support and because Zobeir holds a grudge about his son, Zobeir declines. 

Gordon meets Colonel Stewart

Zobeir

Gordon and Stewart travel to Khartoum without an army. The troops of Mahdi are already nearing the city. Stewart asks Gordon to return back to London. He declines. In Khartoum Gordon is welcomed as a savior. By the way, Gordon's favourite drink turns out to be B&S i.e. Brandy and Soda. Gordon and his loyal servant & bodyguard Khaleel (Johnny Sekka) discuss about turning the other cheek but come to conclusion that Gordon is not Jesus Christ. 

Gordon is welcomed as a savior

Gordon and Khaleel visit Mahdi's camp to negotiate. Mahdi has many spies and he already knows about Gordon's failed negotiations with Zobeir. Gordon gets the respect of Mahdi, and wants Gordon to leave Khartoum. Mahdi tells that he will not be satisfied with conquering Khartoum, but will continue to Cairo, Mecca, Baghdad and Constantinople. The fate of the Egyptians will be bloody warning for all opposers and infidels. 

Gordon visiting the Mahdist camp

Gordon and Khaleel in Mahdi's tent

Gordon is sworn to defend the country and the people he loves. The only choice Gordon has is to fight the religious fanatics. It is already too late to evacuate the city and the telegram wires have been cut. Meanwhile the politicians in Britain are pressured to send troops to help Gordon. So as a gesture they send reinforcements: a whole twenty soldiers and orders for Gordon to return to England. 

The citizens demand action from the government!

Gordon begins the fortification of the city and goes raiding for cattle and foodstuffs. They fight a small battle against Mahdi's troops. Reinforcements arrive with Major Kitchener (Peter Arne). Stewart goes to England to request more troops. It would look bad for the government if the British hero and thousands of civilians were slaughtered by Mahdi's troops. Prime minister has no other option than to send 7000 men to Egypt. The British are coming! But the new troops are unaccustomed to desert warfare, so they need training. Also their real mission is to get Gordon out safely, not to defend Khartoum.

Sir, that is not the right way to ride a camel

Gordon prepares for the siege and Stewart tries to get to Berber to hasten the troops. However Stewart's transport ship goes missing. In 1885 the morale is getting low in the city, and there is a cholera epidemic. After final meeting with Mahdi all hope is lost and Gordon is determined to fight the last stand. The city falls after a battle. The final moments of Gordon are also depicted in George William Joy's painting "General Gordon's Last Stand".

Mahdist commander

General Gordon's last stand

"General Gordon's Last Stand" by George William Joy

The historical accuracy of the movie is believable, although the meetings between Gordon and Mahdi did not occur. Also the final battle did not occur as depicted in the film. In reality the city fell after a siege of 313 days when traitors let the enemy in at the night and thousands were murdered in their beds.

The movie is an old school historical war film, having lots of negotiations and quite few but large battle scenes. The group battles are spectacular and massive with thousands of combatants clashing. This was the time before CGI, thousands of extras were used in the group scenes. They really do not make epics like this any more.

The actor choices are generally good. However some find it hard to approve that an American actor Charlton Heston was chosen to play British general. Sir Laurence Olivier plays Mahdi with his face painted brown, which may look caricaturish to modern viewers. However both of the actors do a good job as charismatic and enigmatic leaders. The sets and props look authentic. The cinematography is great with beautiful panoramic views of Egypt. 

Rating: Very good