Hoo boy, how about that Black Panther discussion this week hey? A lot of emotions, a lot heated exchanges and plenty more debate. I think the point that the film review makes, is that Black Panther is a movie that creates a positive icon for black people and anyone else who feels marginalised in today’s society. Which is great! I love that we can all have a hero who we attach ourselves to.
I also love the fact, that as an African of the southernmost variety, there’s a cinematic legacy attached to us that paints most South Africans as villains. Sure, there’s the utterly detestable kind of villain as seen in the racist cabal that harrassed Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon 2. But there’s also another kind of local villain that I adore seeing on the big screen: The South African gun for hire.
By now, you know the type: A huge dude, sporting the most wonderfuly thick Souff Effriken eccent and who happens to be nigh-unstoppable until he develops an allergy to the third act. We’ve seen that kind of bad guy before: Arnold Vosloo discussing his hurt feelings to a snake-punching Jean Claude Van Damme in Hard Target, Sharlto Copley rocking cybernetic-ninja skills in Elysium or Richard Roxburgh taking a crack at the accent and Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible 2. And don’t forget Andy Serkis’s wonderfully on-point appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron boet.
Yeah I know, typical South African villain typecasting. Which I always enjoy seeing on the big screen. It’s typecasting to the max, but there’s a certain delight in hearing a familiar dialect give life to a villain. Bad guys always have more fun, have the best gadgets and usually get the most memorable scenes to chew on. I think it comes down to the accent which always sounds so deliciously evil in comparison to the usually wholesome American actors on the big screen.
What do you think? Do South Africans make for the best movie villains or this typecasting that needs to be killed off? Let us know below, Rrrrandal. And don’t be afraid to hurt my…feelings.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.
Last Updated: February 9, 2018
