Ian Gabriel’s gritty, relentless South African crime movie is a powerful look into the gang wars that take place in the dangerous Cape Flats of Capetown. The film follows a number of characters whose storylines skillfully crossover.
We meet Farrakhan (Brendon Daniels), a gang general who, having been released from prison, has decided on a life of peace. His son, Ricardo (Jezriel Skei) is unaware of his father’s existence. Using his chess skills, Ricardo has made quite a name for himself within the community and has come under the radar of charismatic gang leader Gasant (Irshaad Ally), who has plans for the young boy. Meanwhile police detective Tito (Abduragman Adams) is investigating a possible child serial killer and a young doctor, Leila (Lindewe Matshikiza), has returned to bury her father.
It’s a vast storyline, reminiscent of films such as City of God and Amores Perros, unflinching in its depiction of violence and the brutality of the community that the characters find themselves within. The film feels entirely authentic, its fantastic editing and sound design recreating the environment to a dizzyingly visceral effect.
The performances add to this richness, with Daniels and Ally particularly effective as the two polar opposed gang members, both tinged with sadness over the loss of recent family members. The young Skei, however, doesn’t quite pull off the gravitas of his role and he’s not helped by the heavy-handed chess symbolism attached to his character. Linking the game with criminals is hardly an original simile within the genre and a bit too much weight is pushed in its favour, whilst Skei‘s blank expression reads no underlying depth.
An interesting subplot is that of the child killer who is haunting the community; however, it ends up a little rushed and underdeveloped, making it feel as if the film could have benefited from a longer running time to flesh out its many threads.