La Section

I couldn't give two hoots about the accuracy of the South African Defence Force uniforms or the film's apparent commentary on the conflicts between SA and Angola: The Stick (AKA Platoon Warrior) is a well directed, atmospheric war tale with touches of the supernatural that feels like something out of The Twilight Zone, and it is well worth your time.

The film sees a ragtag unit of soldiers (a stick) on a mission to locate and annihilate the tribesmen who have been ambushing South African platoons. When the men massacre the people of a village, including their witch doctor, they find themselves caught in a nightmare, unable to find their way back to base and hunted by an unseen enemy.

Sporadic bursts of grim violence (even kids are killed) and a general feeling of hopelessness and despair, all accompanied by the lead character's haunting narration, go to make The Stick a gripping study of the horrors of war and how it affects men differently. The characters are well defined, the acting is excellent, and the script is thought provoking; the film is also great from a technical standpoint, with wonderful camerawork and editing.

8/10.

Although it has been a some time since I've seen this movie, it seems to have stuck quite well. The actors manage to convey quite clearly the effect the events have on them as their companions drop off one by one.

The viewer, like the main characters, never really sees what it is that has them running but whatever it is that's scaring them will have you scared as well.

This movie, although it seems like a B one, it really is a great watch if you get a chance. This can be remade in 2020 and make a great story plot.

Darrell Roodt takes the viewer through a surreal journey as we see how a group of men lose their sanity. The Angola war was a sensitive subject at the time and this film was not welcomed by the government of 1988. The film is often described as being anti-war, but that is up to the viewer since the film only shows humanity at its worst in fact. The characters in the film don't really seem to change much, but more of them are revealed as they suffer more. Some snap, some panic, the film shows it all and I guess you can call it an anti-war film if you feel people aren't capable of acting responsibly when put under this kind of pressure. The direction is solid and the script seems realistic. Well worth a watch and certainly one of Darrell's best films.

While the acting and directing could be argued as having some merit - the storyline is a very poor wannabe Vietnam movie with the country name simply changed.

At the very least, for a movie to hold some credibility, try and have some semblance of accuracy in equipment, weapons and tactics. Nevermind the gross misrepresentation of the behaviour of the troops as a norm.

Aside for the limited use as silly propaganda about the South African Defence Force, it serves little purpose - definitely no entertainment value.

Aspiring movie makers - this is how not to make a war movie. Do some research, and have some pride in your product.