Simply classic

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2019)

Perhaps the definitive "front rank - FIRE - second rank - FIRE" film from the age of high empire. The film does not go much into the background to the battle, i.e. why were the soldiers in Zululand anyway, but manages to be both dramatic and reasonably true to life without being either apologist for imperial sins or exalting the good old days of the empire. Which is more than can be said for the various versions of "The four feathers", for example.
The film does make the two officers more dramatic and imposing than they actually were. One of them was a Royal Engineer, not regarded as highly as a combat officer, and both of them were on the slow track for promotion until this battle.
Good acting, superb battle scenes, not too many goofs. It is a film I have seen at least three times, it stands the test of time.
Then see "Zulu dawn", which is a much darker film.