When it comes to which topics to use for our weekly Hit or Miss piece on Fridays, we usually debate it amongst ourselves in the office. A number of times now a potential point of conversation has reared its head: Afrikaans movies. Specifically, bad Afrikaans movies in the form of overwrought odd-couple slapstick, or cheesy/raunchy rom-coms. Our country’s film industry has so much more to offer than just this though, but these are by far the ones that get the most exposure locally.
This is changing though, as we’re seeing local filmmakers get an increasingly bigger platform to tell stories that don’t involve gross bodily functions or race-based comedy. One of these promising upcoming films is The Recce, a drama written and directed by Ferdinand Van Zyl, which deals with the South African Border War and the devastating effects of this lengthy conflict on a whole generation.
Well, that and it also offers up a bit of badass action as a special ops soldier – aka a “recce” – is incorrectly declared as dead while stuck behind enemy lines and has to fight his way back to safety as he gets hunted down. Check out the trailer below.
I’ve heard some great things about The Recce from folks close to the production, but I will admit that there is a risk of this dipping a bit into melodrama. That being said, we need more movies like this, breaking the mould of South African cinema, so I will definitely be keeping an eye on it when it hits theatres later in the year.
The Recce stars Greg Kriek, Christia Visser, Maurice Carpede, Marius Weyers, Elsabé Daneel, Albert Maritz, Sonni Chidiebere, Grant Swanby and Terrence Maloyi. It is scheduled for release on 8 September 2017. Here’s the full official synopsis:
After the SADF wrongfully declares young RECCE Henk Viljoen dead behind enemy lines, it’s up to him alone to use every skill and tool in his arsenal to make it back to his grieving wife. With the enemy hot on his trail and a lethal gunshot wound in his gut, Henk’s chances for survival are looking slim as he navigates the treacherous war torn African landscape.
Last Updated: June 21, 2017
Original Heretic
June 20, 2017 at 15:03
But…this doesn’t look anything like Boetie Gaan Border Toe.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 20, 2017 at 15:07
Hy’s op maneuvers.
Original Heretic
June 20, 2017 at 15:10
And after that, he’s going to laugh at the new Mummy.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 20, 2017 at 15:29
Before or after getting his ass kicked by JCVD?
Original Heretic
June 20, 2017 at 15:34
After. He’s so big, but he’s hardly a target.
R1ker
June 20, 2017 at 15:13
xD
Spathi
June 20, 2017 at 15:27
Wow, nice trailer. This has me intrigued.
R1ker
June 20, 2017 at 15:30
This looks like something I might enjoy
Pofadder
June 20, 2017 at 17:53
Hoekom moet afrikaanse goed altyd engelse onderskrifte he? Ek sien op baie goed op TV is dit ook so. Dit irriteer die rook uit my uit want mens kan dit nie afsit nie. Dan kyk ek nie eers verder nie. Waar is hierdie baie mense wat nie afrikaans verstaan nie wat afrikaanse goed kyk? Of is dit net ek?
HvR
June 20, 2017 at 19:15
Dis vir die vervaardiger om so groot as moontlike gehoor te kry.
In media opnames is daar nogal verrassend baie mense wat nie vlot afrikaans is nie wat afrikaanse programme en flieks kyk. So in Suid-Afrika sny jy potentieel 75% van jou gehoor af sonder onderskirfte en kan dit ook glad nie internationaal uitreik nie,
Dit is nogal stupid dat DSTV nie die opsie gee nie want hulle dekordeerders kan onderskrifte aan en afsit volgens die gebruiker se keuse.
Chuckles von Clausewitz III
June 20, 2017 at 20:33
So that people who do not speak Afrikaans can also enjoy the movies. It also makes it possible for a local film (be it Afrikaans, isiXhosa etc) to be released overseas (as a foreign movie).
HvR
June 21, 2017 at 12:21
*vorin moewie
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 21, 2017 at 12:32
I love it when you talk vorin.
Magoo
June 21, 2017 at 11:53
Can someone translate this for me please? I don’t understand.
Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd
June 21, 2017 at 08:37
What a load of KAK !!!
Magoo
June 21, 2017 at 11:51
Good South African movies are few and far between. I enjoyed Bond of Blood but for the life of me I couldn’t understand why they used an entire cast of afrikaans speaking people for an entirely english movie. The acting was really bad because of it.