You can never read enough history on the Imperial road to ash & the genocidal/ educational civilization offered to the native folks who outnumbered the greatest bluffers who served that Empire. I never expect to learn true history from film or tv even if the source material is excellent. After all the losers have the best stories sometimes. But good works like this with great acting dialogue, locations and a cast of many extras in sumptuous costume, can inspire many to read books written 100 years ago ( before the Orwellian revisions removed the overt racism & collusion in slavery etc in school history class) that authors expressed without guilt. Those tend to be more believable to me! Fresh memories and all.
Of course I know they like to have the great decent white guy protagonist in Hollywood movies about Empire etc. but THIS is an balanced work that tells of the time where even the important figure in charge of the expedition( to avoid a war England could not win nor afford) is still motivated by simple greed. The episodes so far show how often the white guys tried the bluff method so often they were already a few decades away from losing India. I LOVE the details & a story which I hope will be retold again. This history isnt just for the British or Africa but the whole world. The dry wit & cynical Captian Farewell doesnt mind that a man without scruples could just about become a God in this country....LOL also shows how underestimated their African hosts/servants were all along. Indeed the corruption in the third remains the lasting legacy of Spain, France, Portugal & Great little Britian's legacy. The Zulu spirituality depicted isnt any less potent or scary than the one the Missionaries brought over. Worshiping suffering seems to be an odd human mental condition. Still any movie about 1700-1800s Africa or the Arctic or Peru or Mississippi SHOULD be a terrifying/exhilarating tale. I liked the fearless legend & reality of Shaka & the actor is so intense & just looks amazing. The scenery is huge and filled with so much great set design natural beauty horses, costumes...Its just got alot to see. I will be watching it again with my daughter. It tells a true story that provokes more curiosity of the era & the real people. Many episodes focus on the other side of the story, the Africans & their struggle to deal with alliances as well as the snakes that came ashore. I've never seen so many gorgeous women proudly wearing the clothing of their ancestors with pride & confidence. Real African actors made this an amazing film. Long before a comic book film.
Of course at the start they always have the scenes with the exchanging of gifts and boy its withering even to watch the Englishmen melting in their uniforms! The old mirror trick.... (They always have to lie about the king they represent right? And what a gross king IV yuck. )They did this one well. Thats just in 2nd episode. I almost never seen this much time given to any famous historical African beyond Mandela. Or Amin. (Perhaps Netflix will change that. Lots of foreign films to see!)
This guy was the Napoleonic Desert King in his time. I hope they make more series set in this era. NETFLIX had this on to watch & now the $ to make something as great as this now & Game of Thrones sized series. I hope they do it before it all goes boom.LOL
Ok so I totally recommend this. Its got EVERYTHING. Only a terrible storyteller can make history boring. I hope Neflix puts some money into this movie's period --regardless of the location on the globe. It was a time where we still had to discover each other. I love them anyway & a series can really get alot of layers. It aged well.
Review of Shaka Zulu
