Saloum

I was lucky enough to see this in a local theater, and it was an absolutely fantastic movie experience. It's full of action and sad and unexpectedly funny when it needs to be. This movie experiments and goes in surprising directions and it's just a fantastic time. I highly recommend this one.

The lead actor in this is also just absolutely fantastic. He's an action hero throughout, but the actor really digs into the sadness and darker sides of this character. There's a rich interior life to the main character here, and I commend the actor for bringing so much to this film.

This movie is also beautiful stylistically, there's some inventive design and completely stunning shots. This movie is just fantastic all around.

I was intrigued at the start of this film as a group of men escape civil strife while transporting a Mexican drug dealer in a small plane which must make an emergency landing in a field. They bury a load of gold there and continue on to a remote village.

Nothing is as it seems at the village as ghosts from the leaders past return.

It then becomes a confusing mess as the group encounters some strange attacking creatures who look like swarms of bees who can be dispatched with either guns or knives. A new kind of zombie apocalypse, I guess.

The cast is much better than the script and story. The scenery is good but in the end I was not impressed.

To compare this to any Tarantino film is shallow and insulting. This film, although flawed, holds some actual originality instead of thinly disguised ideas "borrowed" from other films. The first half of the film is solid. Interesting characters in an interesting situation. The second half of the film reminds us that this is a horror film. If you have a pathological dislike for CGI - this film might not be your thing. Personally, I found the CGI as interesting as it can be...but it does take away from the realism established in the first half of the film. Interesting to see what looks to be Kumpo dance imagery. The cinematography and acting were great. The presence of a compelling story drives this film, elevating it above tired, old comparisons.

This is a really great movie. I recommend it to everyone: it deserves a broader audience. It seems a great pity few people will view this because it's not a Hollywood blockbuster, when the quality is far superior to most. It is available online as it is not in theatres.

Beautiful cinematography (it was a pleasure viewing the scenes), interesting script (with a lot of unexpected turns), compelling performances, interesting setting in a part of the world that is little covered in cinema. No romantic angle, sentimentality or cliches, which is refreshing. An excellent movie for those who appreciate quality cinema.

Western parallels abound, but this African tale spins around, up and down, starting off as a thrill, then it goes through a mill, becomes a kind of homecoming, next a need to start running, as the locals start spinning, and the demons start swinging, there's a price to paid, to the lost and betrayed.

Several films for the price of one, encased in a multitude of genres, with some spectacularly good effects, exceptional performances, both mysterious and puzzling, brutal and violent, with plenty of opportunity to wonder what on earth is going on, and why. If you're not familiar with West African cinema, I'm not sure this will bring you any closer to it.