Good Sunday afternoon movie

Rating: 5/10 (12 August 2007)

It's a little hard to feel sympathy for the British troops in this film, as they are being attacked by Zulu tribesmen (whose land they, um, INVADED..anyway) who simply object to their presence in the African wilderness.
But, let's throw all politics aside, shall we? This is a good movie, about a group of 100 British soldiers who, in 1879 "defended" Rorke's Drift (a British outpost in Africa) from a force of Zulu tribal warriors numbering around 4,000. That premise alone should be enough to attract even a jaded war-movie-connoiseur!
Production values are great, you really feel the beating African sun and dust...it seems as relentless as the waves of warriors who assault the outpost. Used to great dramatic effect is the old British tactic (not sure of the term used) that involves two or three lines of riflemen, firing in sequence (ie first line shoots, then drops to knee to reload while second tier fires, drops, reloads, first moves forward, fires, drops, reloads etc). It is very slow to get going, but once the final battle ramps up it's tension all the way as the Zulus storm the outpost and the desperate Brits engage in some hand to hand fighting.
SPOILERS *** The waves upon waves of Zulu warriors are truly amazing...just when you think they've exhausted their supply of troops, another ominous line of men appears on the horizon, spears and shields at the ready.
The final "show of strength" by the Zulu warriors is superb...and will leave you going "Wow...what if they HADN'T turned back??" ***SPOILERS OVER
Great Sunday afternoon flick