Overlong and Tedious

Rating: 4/10 (22 March 2011)

This is an overlong and tedious war film with little plot. The first third of the film focuses on the British soldiers as they prepare for the Zulu attack, but these scenes are random and dull. The rest of the film is devoted to poorly executed battle scenes featuring fake combat and theatrical deaths. Although they outnumber the British 40 to one, the Zulu attack in small waves using spears and predictably get slaughtered by the gun-wielding British. Why would the Zulu utilize such an idiotic tactic after having demonstrated their military prowess in slaughtering 1200 British soldiers days before? Baker and Caine (in his film debut) are OK, but Hawkins chews the scenery as a preacher.