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South Africa · 2008
Rated R · 2h 0m
Director Ralph Ziman
Starring Daniel Buckland, Robert Hobbs, Rapulana Seiphemo, Jeffrey Zekele
Genre Action, Crime, Drama
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When Lucky Kunene loses a scholarship to continue his studies, he begins to commit petty crimes in order to earn money. Slowly, he descends into the underground ring of serious offenders and violent crime. When he is caught by the police, his full truth comes to light in flashbacks.
Boxoffice Magazine by Ed Schied
Documents the development of a crime lord from his beginnings in petty childhood activities. Fresh details enliven a conventional story arc. This absorbing view of urban decay has the potential to draw audiences beyond the arthouse.
Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern
The results are startlingly original, if occasionally overambitious. This is "Tsotsi" without the feel-good glow, a tale of entrepreneurship's perils and boundless pleasures.
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
Has raw action and urgent performances, but loses power due to an amateur approach.
The film is so busy rifling through genres that it fails to develop a coherent flavor of its own.
The New York Times by Mike Hale
Between Mr. Ziman's music-video skills and his close approximation of the kinetic style of Michael Mann (a scene from Mr. Mann's "Heat" has a key role in the plot), it's easy to overlook the formulas and just enjoy the ride.
There's minor amusement in the suggestion that entrepreneurial criminality begins with a preference for Donald Trump's "The Art of the Deal" over the Bible.
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
The whole effort is undermined by an abundance of mob-movie cliches.
The opening credits of Gangster's Paradise note that it was "inspired by real events." It would be more accurate to say that the film was inspired by Brian De Palma's "Scarface" and similar fare.
When humans invade a distant planet, a man sent to study the indigenous aliens struggles to choose sides.
Every moment matters.
Why are they here?