The Bang Bang Club (2010)

In this movie, the background action of the almost forgotten bloody conflicts between Zulu and Xhosa prior to the abolition of Apartheid is far more interesting the the primary story of a group of white photographers with film star attitudes covering it. To sum it up, they look gorgeous, they dodge bullets, they make love to their foxy photo editor and they drink. Judging from the portraits of the actual photographers of the original Bang Bang Club, this might have even been surprisingly truthful. We seem to have a movie where stroppy young Hollywood actors (Ryan Philippe!) play real-life guys pretending to be Hollywood badasses.

As a (former) photojournalist, this was partially a movie about my former dreams. Taking the picture that summarizes a conflict so well that it can bring it to the world's attention-kinda thing.

On the other hand, I had a stack of issues with the movie. Driving into an angry and armed crowd shouting "We're press!" -- really bad idea at any place and any time. Same for a group of photojournalists staying closely together so that they can exchange witty banter (good for the film) but will end up bringing nearly identical photographs (bad for the photographer). And if you're planning to photograph a dead child during a wake in the middle of the night, you might consider bringing a flash to go with your F4 in order to spare your coy photoeditor girlfriend having to shove a lightbulb right up the dead boy's nose. When you the unknown rookie photographer brings your first great photograph to a newspaper, you won't be handed an envelope stuffed with money. Stuff like that.

Fmovies: Back in 1994, South Africa Nelson Mandela has just been released and in the last months, bloody apartheid tensions have gradually increased. The tribal sects, with the support of the white government, preach bloody war between them and so the streets of Soweto echoing gunfire, creating a war scene. In all this, there is the Bang Bang Club,a group of four (white) photographers that were always in the midst of gunfire for achieving the best photo shot, which will give them fame, money and professional recognition. To my opinion, it is not about the politics. It is about the profession of street photographer, hunting the hot news, even like a war correspondent. This movie reveals the difficulties, challenges and dangers involved in the occupation; it reflects the gradual deprecation of every human emotion, for succeeding into the upper goal, to get the right photo-shot, the one to be published. The movie, based on true stories, also reveals the true story behind the shocking Pulitzer winner - photo taken at Africa, showing a malnourished child ready to be ruptured by a vulture that is lurking. It is the struggle of photographers to bring news to people same time struggling with their emotions to remain professional and block all other hesitations or emotions. Having already watched film twice, would go for a third one!

I avoided this film for a long time because it was set in South Africa and I thought it was going to be political. Instead it is more about the combat photographers that live and work in these zones, witnesses to all kinds of nasty things, but tasked with observing and taking pictures only.

The film has a good cast, but considering it is based on a book written by two of the photographers - one played by Ryan Phillippe, it is strange that the most visible character is Taylor Kitsch's, who steals the show with his acting.

The direction and writing of the film were a little bland, though, less ambitious than the subject of the movie. I wonder if it was intentional, as to show more of the perspective of the original book. Even so, we start with these musketeers of the camera, but we never understand why they got to doing what they're doing and so most of the time we couldn't care less what happens to them.

The change comes at the end, when two of the group die and we are faced with the pain of their friends and loved ones, but it comes too late and on the background of Black people finding their children murdered and having to let photographers in to take account. It felt artificial and condescending, so that is why I rated this film merely average. Otherwise, an interesting story and word watching.

One thing intrigued me: from the few IMDb comments for this film, there is none from South Africa, so they must have done something wrong with the movie.

The Bang Bang Club fmovies. It is possible that my score of 9 might be a bit inflated because I am headed to South Africa in a few weeks and the timeliness of this film made me more inclined to like it. However, despite my enjoyment at learning about recent South African history, I still can't see this film being rated any lower than 8--it's THAT good.

"The Bang Bang Club" is a movie that you might assume is mostly fictional. After all, the characters seem so incredibly brave as well as foolhardy. However, to my surprise, all of these folks are based on real people! It's the story about a small group of insane photojournalists--guys who frequently brave death by going into the battle zone of Soweto, South Africa during the very tumultuous time as apartheid was ending (the early 1990s). Within this township, folks from the Inkatha Freedom Party (made up of Zulus) waged battle with members of the African National Congress--as well as anyone who happened to get trapped in the middle. Apart from killing thousands, the battles also tended to strengthen the notion by many white South Africans that mob rule would occur if these blacks were given the right to vote and become full citizens. Fortunately, time has proved this to be wrong.

Now these fights were NOT simple affairs involving spears or knives. While these were sometimes used, automatic weapons and the like were also employed--making the idea of folks going into the township to document the violence seem crazy. And, as the film progresses, you wonder how long these guys will be able to do this work until some of them start to die. But in spite of this danger, Pulitzer Prizes and great fame came to these men--as well as the moniker 'Bang Bang Club' due to their exploits.

The film is very tense, well-paced, interesting and, in an odd way, quite enjoyable. My only complaint is that at times (especially at the beginning) the film tries too hard to 'sex up' the group--using way too many cover model sorts to make this seem very realistic. They are simply too hip and too beautiful to be believable. This is especially apparent if you watch the excellent 'making of' documentary on the DVD, as you see two of these folks in real life and they do NOT look like GQ models. You don't see their girlfriends and wives, but I cannot imagine they looked as sexy as the ladies in this one! But, underneath it all, the film still is quite compelling--and unnerving. Well worth seeing--even if you aren't planning on going to South Africa or Soweto (where I will go--but in a heavily sanitized tour bus!!).

I lived in Johannesburg, working for the Independent Electoral Commission during this period, on a leave of absence from the print media. This is a true-to-life (if slightly glamorized) depiction of a group of fearless and dedicated photographers who probably ultimately defused a potential civil war by their heroic reporting.

Glamorized in that they were a grungier bunch (see the photos in the credits at the end), who took far greater risks than portrayed in the movie. I dare say that the public would not have believed a more accurate story.

Anyone who is interested in the history of Southern Africa should watch this. Nearly 20 years later, it still leaves me shaken.

Also good to see South African actors in the movie, even if most of the leads were imports.

I'm afraid I had this in my shelf for 2 years before I saw it, and that us a travesty in it's self. This is the best photographer-film I ever saw, and it's even a true story. Journalism is of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and photographers have to be even closer to the horrific events which occur around in the world. They are obliged to refer and make proof of what's happening.

Directed by the South African Steven Silver, this Canadian/South African film is based in a book, "The bang-bang club", a true story about four journalists working in South Africa, photographing civilian war there, during Apartheid. It's a film which tells a story, gives out the dilemmas, and moral issues in a well played movie. Biggest star, Ryan Phillippe, does once again a great main role. He has no problems carrying this on his shoulders.

This film deserves a bigger audience than it's had. Casting Ryan Phillippe is a smart thing her, giving the film some of it's international audience. And I hope it'll continue. Because this is a very good a realistically told movie. Way better than a Hollywood production would have told it, though I would have been seen of tenfolds more.

As a teacher in media, I would recommend this as a fine media film. Not only about photographing and journalism in dangerous situations around the world, but also as a film showing the dilemma, moral questions involved as well as a good told filmed story. It basically tells that this kind of journalism and photographing is not for everyone.

Photo technically th film learns you some, but it tells more about editing and the media's use of photographers and pictures, even when they don't dare to tell the truth, and when they compete, and try to take credit, even when they where too afraid to use the material early on. Also the very difficult dilemma if a journalist should interfere in a situation or not when able to do so.

The film overall works well. It loses a little tension from time to time, seen as a thriller, but then it is a drama. Maybe a tiny little too much focus on a love story, but for some this will add to the story what they need to enjoy the film fully. It's sometime brutal, but it tells the truth. Brutally honest.

Th rating here on IMDb is too low. In my opinion this should have has a rating of 7,2-7,5 compared to other films in this landscape. I, go myself, think it's a clear 8/10. Recommended!