Zulu

Rating:
Summary: War is fought by men...
Review: This is one of the most impressive movies ever done of a historical battle. This film also manages to convey not only the tedium, the endless waiting and the buildup of fear the soldiers must experience while waiting for the eventual confrontation, but it also humanizes the enemy. It shows you the enormous differences between the two cultures, yet manages to portray both groups of soldiers as people, respecting each others abilities. I have read a few reviews by some stating there are a few inaccuracies with some of the characters, which is an unfortunate disservice to the audience. I will confess the my knowledge of the exact events at Rorke's Drift is limited so I can't nitpick at its shortcomings, but the intensity of this movie is just unsurpassed, that I have to give it 5 stars.

The Zulu warriors were magnificent, frightening, human and so utterly in contrast to the British, that you couldn't fail to question the relevance of these two peoples needing to confront in the first place. The anticipation of the coming battle kept me on the edge of my seat like no other movie has been able to do (amazing considering there was about an hours worth of daily military life, and updates on the advancing army). I think this is far superior to any of the newer war films in that it deals with real fear: the emotional tensions and the sheer ugliness, yet courage and duty in the face of all these things (not to mention the pointlessness and the lives destroyed).

The shinning moment in these events, as portrayed in the movie, is the Zulu chanting. To find such beauty in the midst of the battle is beyond comprehension. I'm sure it would be near impossible to duplicate in today's films, but I am grateful to the makers of this film to show us this part of Zulu culture. For anyone interested in war this is a must see.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent, but neglected, film !
Review: "Zulu" has been a very neglected film for quite a long time and, for the life of me, I can't understand why. Its proportions are truly epic. Its cast features virtually every great British male character actor who was then active in the business, including a young (and foppish) Michael Caine. It is suspenseful and unpredictable. It is multi-dimensional, in that the British soldiers are not all noble, super-competent and brilliant -- and the Zulu warriors are not pictured simply as a mob of faceless, uncivilized "native bad guys". The first sight of the Zulu army appearing over the crest of the hill, as the camera slowly pans across the scene, is a truly heart-stopping spectacle.

"Zulu" presents its audience with a seemingly irreconcilable crisis of wills, the ultimate resolution of which is, well, let me just say... "satisfying". If you are a fan of "Lawrence of Arabia", or "Kwai", or "The Train", or any of the other great epic films, you can't fail to appreciate "Zulu".

Rating:
Summary: Great Action Movie
Review: "Zulu" is a movie about one of the many far-flung battles that took place in the British Empire during the 19th Century. In this case the battle was in the south African country of Natal in the 1870's. A small outpost of British soldiers find themselves in the path of an army of native African warriors. The numbers are overwhelming in favor of the natives but the armaments favor the British soldiers. The battle scenes and the essence of sacrifice and bravery in the face of such odds are the strength of the movie.

The movie starts out a bit slow and there are characters involved that are of limited importance to the overall focus of the movie. However, once the issue is clear, the film moves along at a steady clip. In the prelude to battle and in the pauses in between fighting, a certain amount of character development takes place. The writers seem to have set up one Private Hook for a good deal of their attention. I guess this was to help us see the common cause to battle among British soldiers in even the shirkers in their midst. The acting is of a generally excellent quality. I especially liked the sergeant major whose name slips me. This is either the acting debut of Michael Caine or close thereafter. Both his talent and inexperience can be appreciated in "Zulu".

The native warriors are generally pictured as a mass of humanity which might bother some viewers. However, I suspect further development along this line would have detracted from the pace of the movie. This is the era of British Colonialism and the movie makes no serious attempt to discuss this phenomenon. That would likewise have detracted from the impact of the movie. I felt that the warriors were dealt with in a respectable manner but it was the over-matched British who were the subject of the film and this perspective was never lost.

This is a movie that I enjoy seeing over and over whenever I can. It appeals to the emotions in a postive way so long as courage, stamina and determination are seen as positive traits.

Rating:
Summary: Impressive Epic
Review: "Zulu" is one of those rare moments in cinema when war is depicted with such realistic, nail-biting authenticity. This film was broadcast a few years ago on the History Channel, with historians speaking freely on how accurate the portrayal of the men at Roarke's Drift is.
I was overjoyed to see such a fine print at last on DVD. Shot in Ultra Technirama 70, the sharpness and color will overwhelm all who see it. I have always felt Technirama was the best of the widescreen processes, with such films as "Spartacus", "The Alamo" and "King of Kings" utilizing its epic proportions. Although the sound is mono, and doesn't open up as well in surround sound, this slight setback shouldn't put anyone off from purchasing this disc, and at such a modest price, too.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie -- Horrible Transfer
Review: "Zulu" is a classic and deserves far better treatment than this! Drop outs, frozen frames, skips, video and audio distortion . . . this DVD has it all. Hopefully Criterion will soon step in and do this film justice with a decent transfer.

Rating:
Summary: A Great War Film Worth Repeated Viewings
Review: "Zulu" is one of those films that should serve as a model for all other films of its genre that follow, and, indeed, it seems to have done just that. If you watch carefully, you'll see images and concepts that reappear--albeit in adapted form--in such films as "Glory," "Starship Troopers," and "The Last of the Mohicans," even if "Zulu" itself will remind you of many "last stand" cavalry and Indian movies made in the U.S. What separates the film most from others is not the technical production, which is impressive, but the relative fairness of the portrayal of both the British and the Zulus. While the story of the battle of Rorke's Drift is told from the point of view of the vastly outnumbered British, the Zulus are never reduced to the often cartoonish level of villain so common in American films. Instead, they are intelligent, organized, and brave adversaries who are, in fact, trying to repel European invaders. (The film successfully avoids the politics of the situation, instead focusing on the plight of the soldiers themselves.) Stanley Baker is stalwart as Chard, an engineer who takes command of the outpost despite his inexperience in combat, and Michael Caine, in his screen debut as the upper-crust second-in-command, has hardly been better. But supporting actors Nigel Greene, as an old guard sargeant, Patrick Magee, as a humane surgeon, and James Booth, as a layabout with criminal tendencies, nearly steal the show. John Barry's impressive score adds just the right mix of African theme and British sensibility, and though there are a few moments that feel dated, the film has stood the test of time since its debut four decades ago. About the only thing to complain about is the barebones DVD, which offers little except a no frills widescreen version of the feature film.

Rating:
Summary: Intense, bracing, absorbing...and a real story
Review: "Zulu" rates as one of the best action dramas ever made. It's all the better given that it's a true story: 1,000s of Zulu Nation warriors against less than 100 British troops in a isolated mission outpost. How can they hope to survive? They just slaughtered the British regiment nearby and left no survivors...

When it's over, you're totally gripped by the events and emptied. I take it back, it's the best action drama ever filmed and they don't make them like this anymore.

Rating:
Summary: UNQUESTIONABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT
Review: ...film I've ever seen, and watching it is a regular event (even though I know it backwards and forwards by now). Which is better, action or script? They go hand in hand, and everyone plays his part beautifully. Courage is a virtue, after all--and not least because it's the best way to survive. The film shows the triumph of a group of men who triumph because, even in the most extreme situation, they remember who they are and draw strength from it. They are rigorous fighters, but they have decent hearts that remain unbrutalized by warfare. This is a moving depiction of one of the heights to which humans can rise, even though war itself is usually deplored.

Rating:
Summary: This may not be it, but...
Review: ...it's out there somewhere! I'm watching the movie on AMC-channel right now and I can't get over how clean and crisp this picture is! Last year when it was on TV it was dark and grainy and I was afraid it was ruined for ever. I have a VHS which is the same: horrible! Please, Amazon.com-folks...get the good version that AMC's playin' now! PLEEEASE!

Rating:
Summary: Courageous True Story
Review: 150 British, 1 Swiss, and 1 Boer against 5,000 Zulu warriors. Zulu is the true story of one group of British protecting the mission outpost of Rourke's Drift from the coming onslaught of a united force of the fearsome and brave Zulu warriors. This film picks up right after the Zulu army swept down and massacred a British regiment at Isandwhala (featured in the prequel Zulu Dawn). The battle of Rourke's Drift was seemingly hopeless, but these brave men held out against an army of sheer numbers - with the most Royal Crosses being awarded in a single campaign.

The first half of this film entails the preparation and seemingly hopelessness that the Brits were going through in order to set-up some sort of defensive perimeter - after the 1st hour the Zulus approach - eeiry - hearing them rattle their shields (sounding like a locomotive) and it echoe throughout the countryside - and when they break into song before the attack - you can feel your own knees shake. The battles are realistic and brutal (very accurate - a good account of this story can be found in the book - Like Lions They Fought) - and the Zulus are very well planned in this assault - with snipers and multi-pronged flanking moves - very impressive. After 2 days and one night of fighting - the Biritish, completely spent and nearly out of ammo - prepare for what is to be the last wave - only to hear the Zulu's break into song and chant - told to them by the Boer that the Zulus are saluting them as fellow warriors - Powerful to say the least. Just the sight of 5,000 Zulu warriors appearing on the cliffs surrounding the fort is an unforgetable sight.

The DVD for this @ $10 or less is a real steal - with a non-anamorphic widescreen transfer, cast bios, chapter stops (only 6), and other titles available. The sound is in Dolby Pro Logic but sounds quite nice. The age of the film shows with some fading and washing of the colors - but overall I think it is a good deal since who knows when this will, if ever, be released in better (remastered version) in Region 1. In this widescreen version, I was able to easily notice the monument built to commerate this battle in at least 3 scenes briefly (it looks likes a flagpole). Also of note is - this is Michael Caine's first movie and he's pretty good in it (not too likeable though). A great movie to see as is Shaka Zulu (also on DVD) and hopefully we'll see a release of Zulu Dawn as well.