Movie Review: ‘Kite’
JOBURG – SA actors hold their own with their international counterparts against the harsh setting of Cape Town in the movie 'Kite'.
There is nothing more exciting than an international film being shot in our backyards; unless of course, the cast includes a select number of South African actors.
Carl Beukes, Zane Meas and Terence Bridgett share the screen with legendary actor Samuel L Jackson in the new movie named Kite, about an orphaned girl with a thirst for revenge for her parents’ murder.
India Eisley (The secret life of the American Teenager) plays the lead as Sawa, a covert assassin who goes on the hunt for the Emir cartel involved in human trafficking. With the help of her father’s ex-partner in the police force (Jackson) Sawa intercepts members of the cartel in a demarcated city run down by gangs, drugs and trafficking of young girls.
Her quest is often clouded with by supposed emotional detachment, but as we all know, not everything is as clear cut. Sawa soon runs into a character from her past, who not only knew her parents but know the truth.
It goes without saying that Samuel L Jackson puts on a stellar performance in the film. It is incredibly refreshing to see local actors in strong lead and supporting roles. The setting is dark and isolated – think I am Legend.
Terence Bridgett and Zane Meas give strong and convincing performances, albeit cut short by the actresses’ killing spree. Veteran actor, Deon Lotz holds his own as Jackson’s colleague and it was interesting to see both go toe-to-toe in their respective roles with a tinge of familiarity from the actor’s accent (without choking) and the other with just a you-can’t-touch-me attitude.
SA director Ralph Ziman (The Zookeeper and Jerusalema) wonderfully incorporates all the dark genres that we love as movie enthusiasts: human trafficking, a dark and dingy city, and lots of blood and gore. At the end of the day, we are all harbouring feelings of vengeance just like Sawa. Mine is against load shedding but the movie was the perfect release.
If you are getting excited, make your way to the nearest theatre (I am showing my age) on 30 January.
Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/Lm4tyQw2LhA
