User reviews

This film was rooted in some significant socially and historically relevant occurrences but it played out more dramatically than anticipated. It was executed well but it could have done with some silver linings. It goes from bad to worse and although it wasn't my personal cup of tea some people who are fans of stories (like The Kite Runner) that might resemble many real lives, in which people experience unrelenting sequences of harrowing ordeals, would enjoy this.

Good execution of a really really sad South Africam film. Great performances all round.

As "Amandla" (2022 release from South Africa; 106 min.) opens, we are introduced to 2 boys, Impi who celebrates his 11th birthday, and his younger brother Nkosana. It is "the Miller Farm, South Africa, 1897", and the boys live with their parents as servants to Boss Jakob and his family. Impi has a crush on Elizabeth, Boss Jakob's daughter, but one day they are found out, and it sets into motion a series of events nobody could've foreseen...

Couple of comments: this is a true South African production, set in and around Johannesburg and its surrounding township slums. This is the directing debut of South African actress Nerina De Jager. Much of the film's dialogue is in one of the Zulu languages (among the blacks) and Afrikaans (among the whites). The main story line is in essence a variation of the Cain and Abel bible story, but set in modern day South Africa, mostly playing out in the mid/late 1990s. To say those were tumultuous times would be a Manhattan-sized understatement, with continuing tensions between the black and white communities and the harsh conditions of the gang crime-infested townships like Soweto. Please note there are several scenes in the film that may make you uncomfortable. Bottom line: this is a tough yet moving siblings relationship drama that plays out in the later years of apartheid and then the early years of the Mandela era.

"Amandla" premiered last weekend on Netflix, and I watched it last night. If you are in the mood for a tough yet moving siblings relationship drama set in modern South Africa, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

This is tragedy from start to end. The younger brother seems quite selfish and naive to his brothers situation after the parent situation. To still not help help him properly when he really needed it...and the end....what was the point of his brothers sacrifices, if this was going to be the end.

While it is a well-made movie and it does have a interesting premise and I appreciated that this movie is fast paced, what hurts Amandla for me are pretty much almost everything else. The bland performances along with cringey dialogue, a story that ultimately leads nowhere, weak direction, below average overall screenplay, a ending that I totally saw coming & was incredibly predictable, weak character development, and a pretty useless social commentary that adds little to nothing to help advance the story.

I don't recommend this South African Netflix Original.

Terrible stereotyping of all races in South-Africa, framed by ludicrous characters that are highly unlikely in modern South-Africa.

The director and producer have failed miserably in flogging a long dead horse, they should actually be ashamed about their lack of invention and creativity, the money could have been spent well somewhere else.

Some of the cinematography was nice outside, the inside scenes looked over-staged and student like.

It's such a bad movie I don't even know where to start. It's like the director's first attempt. A waste of resources. There is a combination of bad acting and lack of creativity.

This was a excellent movie and well written and acting was superb.

It reflects our sad history in South Africa and the consequences thereof.

There is different views on how we understand the movie, but this was definitely not a predictable movie and we must give credit to the production team and appreciate their efforts.

I hated the movie sorry. Bad acting. Over the top. The criminals didnt look or act convincing at all .. the storyline seemed rushed and unfinished. The ending didnt make any sense at all ...... very unrealistic.

This is movie is completely disgusting, disastrous. The first 25 minutes were so captivating, but the remaining minutes a total mess. The was a lack of creativity, the ending was so bad. I was expecting something different, more captivating especially when you know how the 2 boys suffered. This is ridiculous their parents were murdered , no justice or revenge, then the wife killed and next the 2 brothers. This movie should be removed from Netflix, such a disappointment. I have been watching a lot of South African movies and series, very interesting and so captivating, but this AMANDLA, a MESS. I DON'T RECOMMEND.

Can't believe it has such a low rating!!!?

Acting was superb from beginning to end, with very believable characters. Heart wrenching at times, due to the entrapment of the older brother. Yes, this is not an uplifting film in some ways, but does portray the sad truth that there is no way out for some due to circumstances beyond their control.

I found this film a difficult watch at times, but thoroughly engrossing! Probably a low budget film, but what the director and cast have done, is remind us of the difficulties SA has faced and continues to face. Thank you. For this film.

Some films are bad because they are badly acted or badly produced, or the script is weak. Amandla is none of these (much); it is a bad film because it is designed to convince the viewer that life is horrible, most people are horrible, and those who aren't, come to horrible ends. Seriously, there isn't a glimmer of hope throughout this pageant of brutality that makes Game of Thrones look like a Disney production. But at least the brutality of Game of Thrones takes place on an epic scale.

"Amandla" ("power") was a rallying cry of the anti-apartheid movement, so I was expecting something stirring, or at least politically aware, but it's hard to tell what message the film is trying to give. Don't move to Soweto? Don't take up burglary as a way to put your brother through police academy? Politically, it says little other than the New South Africa isn't everything it was cracked up to be. Yes, South Africa has serious problems with violent crime, but we all knew that, and the early '90s, when the film is set, were a peak. More importantly, there is no suggestion of how we should act on this or even interpret it; it's just there as a trigger for our tragic protagonist, a kind of "girlfriend in the fridge" trope with a more than usually nasty tqwist.

Speaking of girlfriends, the female characters only appear as sacrificial or self-sacrificial victims. As for the white characters, they are just the "good Boer/bad Boer" stereotypes. If anything, there's an implication (presumably unintended) that we'd have been better off if only the good Boers were running things.

"Amandla" is a completely misleading title. The overall message of this film seems to be: your dreams will be crushed and everyone you love will die, and it will be your fault as much as anyone's.

The sad thing about this movie is that it has an amazing cast of seasoned actors but whilst watching it, you will not be able to tell because of the over acting. I think they needed time for character development and to establish relationships between the charaters thus I think perhaps if this was a series it would of been good.

The story feels like something you've seen hundreds of times before which I do not mix when it's done well but unfortunately the writing seemed constrained by the budget.

I was wrapped in this movie from start to finish.

The tale of two brothers overcoming a tragedy when the younger brother accidentally triggers a violent occurrence that will take them both on a fateful path.

They choose differing walks in life and the viewer hopes for a good end. A must see movie. All involved did a great job!

It's such a pity when a certain group of privileged people seem to always deny how evil and wicked they were (and are) towards a minority group of people. Someone wrote, "Terrible stereotyping of all races in South Africa..." Well, I hate breaking it to this one individual, but this has and still is happening all over the world today, so there is no STEREOTYPING in this movie. They're notorious for their hatred towards people who don't resemble them.

Racism, hatred and crime remain an acknowledged fact throughout history and will never cease!

Very strong acting and resurgence of a painful past experienced by South Africans .. I'm delighted that Netflix has opened a platform for our stories to be told .. I held on by baited breath throughout the entire movie, it had me cringing at the realities of the past, my people have truly endures.. A timeless classic I believe everyone should watch especially South Africans. Who might have decoupled the painful oppression we were once subjected to as black people of South Africa.. We applaud Netflix and hope that many more of our historic stories will make it to the surface.. this is but only the beginning.

The reviews here are mixed as you can see but this movie can seem overwrought at times and hokey at other times. However the acting is powerful and it is not a Hollywood movie although the plot is nothing new and , yes , maybe even somewhat predictable. The actual locations , the language and , again the acting is powerful and I would say realistic. I sat down to review it as soon as I finished watching it because I believe it deserves a wide audience it stands out in my mind when compared to other movies. All I can say is that the characters are so well developed that they literally jump off the screen and into your soul. The movie has its faults but it's holds up and , I believe , achieves its objective. Perhaps not for everyone but I want more than 'entertainment.