Saloum

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.

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.

Caught this as part of the 2022 Edinburgh International Film Festival - the programmers were keen to share it, describing it as part of a new wave of confident film-making coming out of Africa.

It plays quite nicely with some signifiers - at some point our main trio look like evil mercs who kill anyone for money, but other scenes show them in a totally different light - and while it is happy to indulge in some Tarantino-influenced action it is also unafraid to touch on darker elements like the vile use of child soldiers. Very stylish, cool - good late night movie, and took a few turns I wasn't expecting in the narrative.

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.

You will not regret watching this movie. Though I am a huge horror movie fan, I must say that the movie would've been so much better without the last part. Beautiful Africa, great characters and an intriguing story - I really enjoyed the movie. I would love it even more if it was a mystery instead of horror. Loved the cast , the nature, their customs and legends. But still the last third of the movie was somehow... Poorly executed. Still, I think it deserves a good grade! Africa is beautiful, full of myths and legends. It has such a potential for future projects! Hopefully we will see more movies like this!