Still one of the best war movies ever made

Rating: Null/10 (15 August 2001)

I recently acquired this film on DVD as it has always been a favorite of mine. The film is a faithfull version of history as the other reviewers have noted, and treats the Zulus themselves with due respect.
The DVD is something of a disappointment, as it appears to be the same film transfer as the earlier Laserdisk. Colors are enhanced but the focus is slightly blurred throughout, and reel change marks are visible, leading me to the conclusion that this disk was produced from a studio distribution print rather than the original negatives or interpositives. Still, if you've only seen the fullscreen version on broadcast TV, the DVD is worth it's price for the only available widescreen version of the film.
Truth to tell, you will be only momentarily troubled by the poor transfer, the story remains as engrossing as ever. 100-odd British Redcoats versus 4000 attacking Zulus, authentic in dialogue, costumes, and scenery (it was shot on location at Rourke's Drift in what is now called South Africa). The final two-thirds of the film are one long battle, and never has close combat been depicted better than in this epic film.