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Plot:
Action epic based on the famous heroic exploits of January 22, 1879, when a handful of British soldiers, stationed at Rorke's Drift, withstood an onslaught by some 4,000 Zulu warriors. Eleven of the d...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:August 25, 2008One of the last great epics. Introducing Michael Caine as a toff out of his depth, in a remarkable performance.
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MCT:August 23, 2008
Another epic that, although a great film, is not true to history - Private Hook was certainly not the drunken waster depicted here. Excellent cinematography and the suspense is built up superbly.
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MCT:August 9, 2008
a solid historical episode that chronicles a tragic last stand, age has not been kind to such a splendid film as the combat effects lose out with the advent of today's array of technology, a vintage war film at best
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MCT:August 1, 2008
putting aside the ethics of colonialism and some unconvincingly bloodless action scenes, it's pretty entertaining. funny to hear michael caine with a posh accent :)
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MCT:July 26, 2008One of the best movies. I have seen that takes place out in the desert. You see soldiers fightting with the Zulu warriors and you hear their war yell.
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MCT:July 21, 2008The plot leading up to the battle of 4000 Zulu warriors against only 100 British soldiers is hard to follow, mainly because there are far too many characters to remember who they are and no one bothers to explain the historical setting, so unless you have studied 1870s African colonialism wars, you're going to be a bit lost as to what is going on and why.
Scenes of the Zulu warriors dancing, or singing, or preparing for battle are lingered on, presumably because they took a lot of effort to film, but are so long and uneventful, it is difficult to concentrate. Due to some camp acting and a strange lack of violence, with people being murdered with quick pokes of spears or bayonets as if this is a game of tag, Zulu can be hard to take seriously.
Within the plethora of characters, it becomes questionable who we are supposed to like. Perhaps the film makers had no one in mind, and were trying to give an honest portrayal of each man, but each character has moments of likeableness and moments of detestableness so it is difficult to pick favourites, particularly evident in the characters of the Reverend, Lt Chard and Lt Bromhead.
Zulu is a film that will be liked by those who want to see a film about a historical battle, but it doesn?t have anything to offer on any other level. It is exactly like Westerns that focus on homesteaders versus Native Americans, with the small band in the wagon circle being beaten down by an expert warrior race that are on their own land and yet feel like the villains. The Zulu warriors are never represented as bad, in fact they are constantly praised, however, watching 4000 of them attack 100 British soldiers, and willingly sacrifice their own men just to test the enemy weaknesses makes it very hard to want anything other than for them to lose. And towards the end, when the British get some organised firing lines in action, it is actually quite exciting.
Everyone loves the underdog, and a film of 100 men being slaughtered by 4000 men would never have been made, so it is just a matter of sitting it out to see how these few will defeat the many. -
MCT:May 19, 2008
Absolutely fantastic!!
Michael Caine gives away the best performanceof the film. The most amazing and best aspect of the film is that we open with a Zulu ceremony sequence. Then we move on to the 100 brave British soldiers, who apparently couldn't stand a single chance battling 4,000 African soldiers, so we get two perspectives and neither the British or the Zulus are portrayed as the bad guys of the film. There are no true antagonists. That characteristic adds a strong moral value to this war masterpiece.
95/100 -
MCT:April 20, 2008
This is the Zulu movie I remember most. Based on true British failures this dramatisation has some great moments. Love the chance to see young Caine do his thing too.
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MCT:April 3, 2008
A bit like the alamo only an english version. Some characters were witty. Probably more relistic than the alamo.
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MCT:March 17, 2008
definitely one of the best action films of the sixties.granted some of the action,and a couple of the death scenes look very dated now,but on the whole it is still a damned good film.michael caine is fantastic in this role that launched him into stardom.also loved john barrys music score.
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MCT:March 2, 2008
Based on the true story of 100 British soldiers defending their station against 4000 attacking Zulu warriors. This precurser to epic battle movies like Braveheart was the film debut of Michael Caine.
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MCT:February 20, 2008
Great movie. The sound quality is not all that great though (mono).
If you like historical dramas then this is a must see. -
MCT:February 3, 2008
Pending Review...
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MCT:January 28, 2008And watch this one second, for a micro view of the "sideshow" battle (the small victory out of the larger defeat shown in Zulu Dawn). A Must See...(Also, outstanding music by John "James Bond" Barry, get the soundtrack CD!)...
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MCT:January 21, 2008
This is the film that was Michael Caine's break. He played an aristocrat though he himself was a working class man, and to this day is proud of his background.
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MCT:January 18, 2008
Excellent war flick with a very young Michael Caine playing a soft-spoken, veddah British soldier, a side of him I've yet to see on screen. Considering the amount of bloodshed this tale involves, this was pretty bloodless in terms of what we see on-screen. Would love to see a re-telling of this that shows how horrific the carnage actually was; as it is, it feels much more like a video game, each side inflicting bloodless casualties. Very interesting to watch the "civilized" British deal with the Zulu's effective military strategies. Will be seeking out "Zulu Dawn" now as it covers the British defeat leading up to this story.
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MCT:December 14, 2007
In the days when epic was not only the norm but had to be managed without CGI, viewing Zulu now is to relive a key source-ext for many of today's epic directors from Peter Jackson to Ridley Scott.
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MCT:December 2, 2007
Stirring stuff! Michael caine again plus superb acting from Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Nigel Green & James Booth.
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MCT:November 22, 2007
Based on the true story of a Zulu attack at Rourke's Drift in 1879, we see for ourselves the hopelessness of the British army as they stand at a little more than a 100 soldiers facing down 4,000 Zulu warriors.
We see the all the British here in their "glory". Real gentlemen of a different era, as they prefer class and sportsmanship in battle over primitive cultures, I couldn't help but be reminded of Rudyard Kipling's "The White Man's Burden" which is what it seems the British felt they were doing, trying to help civilize the savages. Indeed it was a true test as these savages would begin to best the British and hence with the survivors of the story we get true nationalism, a story of the few and the brave, fighting back against insurmountable odds.
The story is about two British Lieutenants who at first butt heads over leadership and then come together to fight off the Zulu. Much of the charm of the film relies around Baker's dead set desire to stick to the book and to get his men ready to get the job done no mater what within conflict of Caine's character the aristocrat who is more about the pleasures and the perks of his leadership rank, he soon falls into line, as while he is seemingly at first arrogant he does know he's part of the British army and together they begin to work well as a unit.
Then we have the fun of Private Hook played by James Booth, one of the many injured soldiers in the ward. Hook much like the term "Hooky" is faking sick so that he doesn't have to do any work and later as we find out about the Zulu he also wants to avoid being in the battle. Then we have some of the missionaries who come over to warn of the Zulu attack who try and help the British but end up instead hurting morale by saying they are fighting an impossible battle. They are soon sent off before the Zulu action really gets going.
My one complaint about this film would be the sheer length of it, as like the soldiers once they get started they get stuck in and we're in for the long haul. The Zulu's seem relentless, not one inch of Rourke's Drift is left unscathed by battle as even the sick and injured are put to the test when their buildings burn down. We also see the British fight off the Zulu in which to me was unknown, the 2-3 shot tasks where one soldier fires, then begins to load his gun as the second line fires from behind him, then the second line loads while the third line repeats the same thing. The precision of the British and their dedication and fighting spirit is on display here, something that really no Brit could not be proud of.
Either way, there isn't much I could say that would do this film justice other than if you want to see a somewhat inaccurate but great epic picture about a small battalions last ditch efforts to stay alive against a seemingly never ending troupe of Zulu warriors, then this movie is for you. Once it gets going it doesn't spare on the action as we see this last stand for one of small group of British soldiers. Sheer will power alone drove them. -
MCT:August 26, 2007
awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, & let me see....awesome!
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MCT:August 23, 2007
A brilliant telling of the battle at Rorke's Drift during which a garrison of 139 British soldiers repelled a Zulu force of four thousand, for which eleven were awarded Victoria Crosses. Although it's a rousing tale of the British Empire, the film doesn't avoid showing the psychological effect the slaughter has on the garrison, nor does it cast the Zulu as simple bloodthirsty savage. This gives the film a quality that allows it to surpass many tales of the 'Wild West' and their one-dimensional 'Injun' villains. Caine is, as always, brilliant, and the rest of the cast manages to keep up. An interesting aside: my dog gets all skittish when the Zulus are performing their magnificent war chants. Best bit: "Front rank fire! Rear rank fire!" "Reload! "
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MCT:August 5, 2007
The greatest war film ever made. Not always historically accurate but the cinematography is stunning and it is simply the best film of it's genre.
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