Best Movie: Bopha!
By Des'ree Osei-Bonsu
It takes great guts and skill to produce a movie on such a controversial topic, but the producer of the movie Bopha! Morgan Freeman, pays great homage to South Africa.
Bopha! Has been criticized for being reminiscent of of the movie “Come Back Africa” on many occasions. They both take place in South Africa. The focus of each movie is on—you guessed it—apartheid.
The main protagonist of the film is a Micah, a black South African Policeman who wants his only son to follow his footsteps and become a policeman in the future. However, his teenage son Zweli is hesitant to follow his father due to the stigma that officers are traitors. Zweli’s hard headed nature causes him to lead a riot that draws the attention of the local police. When Micah arrives at the scene to see that his own son has caused a public disturbance, he is distraught.
The cinematography of this movie takes place in a very violent time in townships of Africa and the movie reflects that well. The editors and directors used ominous music that created an air of uneasiness and set the mood of that scene. Dramatic close ups are another frequently used tactic to set the mood of a scene. Each actor delivered their lines with passion that creates an emotional mood and cathartic experience for the viewer.
Even though the execution and cinematography of Bopha! was high quality, the film has one fault that several good films have—the ending. After the resolution is solved, there is a cliffhanger making you feel as if there is more to the story. This a cheap way to build excitement and suspense, especially when there is no sequel to look forward to.