'Zulu' - Movie Review

This movie has zero reviews on Rotten Tomatoes: none. This isn't unheard-of, but it's definitely unusual - particularly for a movie that involves both Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker. I figured "how bad can it be?"

Whitaker plays Ali Sokhela, a police captain in Cape Town, South Africa. He grew up under Apartheid, and suffered pretty horribly (as is made clear in flashbacks). His preferred detective - despite resistance from his department head - is the heavy-drinking and womanizing Brian Epkeen (Bloom). Epkeen is always a mess, but also quite good at his job. They find themselves investigating the appearance of a new and particularly nasty drug on the street, and the considerable string of deaths that follow it.

I think Bloom has something of an unfair reputation for being a pretty boy, with the implication that he can't or doesn't bother to act. They let his age show in this movie, and he always looks a bit grubby. And he does a really good job - as does Whitaker, but no one is surprised about that. The movie is very dark and quite violent, but - as depressing as it is - it's quite good.