Directed by
Phillip Noyce
102 minutes
Rated M
Reviewed by
Sharon Hurst
Catch A Fire
Synopsis:South Africa in the early 1980s is an ugly place with the brutal apartheid regime oppressing the blacks. Patrick Chamusso (Derek Luke) works as a foreman at the Secunda oil refinery, coaches the local soccer team, loves his two daughters and his wife Precious (Bonnie Henna) and generally tries to keep out of trouble. But when the refinery appears to be under terrorist threat, Patrick is falsely arrested by Colonel Nic Vos (Tim Robbins) of the Police Security Branch. The treatment Patrick endures at the hands of the police will inspire him to join the African National Congress, the key organisation responsible for fighting apartheid.Philip Noyce is no stranger to handling material that deals with oppression and the fight for justice and in this true story of a quiet hero, he handles his themes with assurance. Despite apartheid no longer being a current issue, the film still feels relevant and fresh, maybe because it is approached not only from a historical perspective but also a very human perspective, with much that resonates with the many injustices in today’s world. The film’s screenwriter Shawn Slovo is the son of Joe Slovo, one of the few whites to have been high up in the ANC and who ran their military training wing. Joe’s wife (Shawn’s mother) was killed by a letter bomb sent to her by the apartheid regime so one would imagine the intensity and passion that has gone into writing this script. And yet it is a surprisingly balanced look at the issues of the day, with acknowledgment being made of the whites’ position as well - their extreme fear of losing the lifestyle they loved and the power they wielded.
The social milieu that surrounded the ghastly system of apartheid is well-captured in so many of the scenes. As the Chamusso family return from a joyous wedding in Eastern Transvaal we witness their fear as the car is stopped and searched by Vos’s men. Whenever Patrick relates to his white bosses at the refinery it is with total subservience, for fear of losing his job. Yet we also sense Vos’s fear, especially for the safety of his wife and daughters in a country of 3 million whites and 25 million blacks.
The film gives a fascinating insight into the history of the resistance movement that ultimately caused the downfall of apartheid. As the plot unfolds, we also feel at times as if we are watching a thriller, which also enhances the film’s ability to engage the audience. The underground military campaign, run from Mozambique, sure looks like a terrorist training camp, and when Vos loudly asserts “Our job is to find the terrorists”, there are of course many echoes of today’s terrorist-mad world. The brutal methods of the secret service are also reminiscent of that other fine recent release, The Road To Guantanamo.
Noyce’s direction is carried off magnificently by the lead performances. Derek Luke excels, giving us a character, who although heroic, is never painted as a saint, with all too human frailties and doubts. Robbins is wonderful as Vos, starting with the authentic South African accent, and even more impressive with the layered character he gives us. Although he displays a sadistic and cruel streak, we nevertheless sense that, behind what he does, is a real conviction that he is right. We should also see a lot more of Bonnie Henna, who gives such a compassionate performance as the loving wife and mother, who, feeling herself betrayed, wreaks vengeance and betrayal upon her husband. Every scene is enhanced by wonderful music with its uplifting and empowering voices,
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