Black Beach

Confusing plot, mixed with unexciting action. Concept could have been interesting (hence why I'm rating 4 star) but it's poorly developed, with a lot of missed opportunities.

5.2? That seems extradinarily low for an entertaining, tense and decent budget Netflix movie. Ok, the first half is slow, admittedly, but from then on you have a very exciting and tense thriller, up there with Hollywood production quality. The story is basic, as one might expect with a thriller, but the characters are decently acted and the script is enough to keep your attention, without any boring bits. I would give this a 7.5, but as halfs aren't allowed, I bumped it up to an 8. It is worth a watch.

While I found this international look into the African diaspora cinematically beautiful in its realistic portrayal of how things really are in this mythic African country,the reason for our heroes' trek to the motherland became lost in the director and producers determination to make this just another "kill everybody " movie. A lot of time was taken in dubbing to English with voices that bore no resemblance to the faces on the screen. It's a shame ; this tome about oil, dictators, racism, corporate intrigue,, and a Black child ending up in the care of a white Belgium family just doesn't work. Jack Ryan this character is not! And even then this movie would not end.

I reckon there is a literal black beach (so obviously no pun intended with the title), but there is more to the movie than a landscape ... a location if you will. I reckon the beach can stand for something - the title can give you a clue of the darkness of fate and the struggle to do the right thing.

On the other hand you can also argue that that would be reading too much into it. And you probably would be right with that. The acting is good, the script is or rather seems tight. Still I can't help but feel that there could have been more ... I can't put my finger on it (and I rather wouldn't want to do that anyway, no pun intended) ... but there seems to be some untapped source here ... again no pun intended.

Still the movie has tension and it holds up from start to finish. Even if you feel that certain decisions may not be the wisest ... life is live as they say (they do say that, right?)

What worked: The strongest aspect of the movie that caught my attention has to be the African culture that I was able to discover, at least superficially. Around half the movie is in Africa and that's fun to watch. The movie has an interesting screenplay that has a scope for a fine movie, if not a great one. What did not work: Screenplay was okay and the movie started fine. It went downwards afterwards. The narrative gets corrupted and mingled in between making it messier and unattractive. I think the movie could have been a better watch if the execution was done better. The editing and action sequences in Africa were not well choreographed. The movie had mediocre acting, an average plot execution making it a superficial project wanting to be smart and intelligent. The movie is not without plotholes. Final verdict: it's an okay movie about something familiar in an unfamiliar settings