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Critics Consensus: No stranger to the political thriller, director Phillip Noyce tackles apartheid and terrorism with experienced gusto, while Derek Luke and Tim Robbins hand in nuanced performances.
Critic Consensus: No stranger to the political thriller, director Phillip Noyce tackles apartheid and terrorism with experienced gusto, while Derek Luke and Tim Robbins hand in nuanced performances.
All Critics (146) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (37) | DVD (4)
Noyce is now the favorite filmmaker of your local Amnesty International
At its best when making the most of the conflicts at the heart of apartheid.
Despite Mr. Noyce's attempt to achieve a sense of balance and restraint, the material covers an overly familiar landscape with no special insight or sense of purpose.
Catch a Fire ignites, incites and informs as few other movies of the fall do.
Catch a Fire is confident enough to depict the battle from all sides.
[The film is] complex. It's rich. I think it's well-done.
Given the complex motivations at play, it's unfortunate that the script doesn't go in for much psychology and wastes precious minutes halfway humanizing Patrick's Boer rival.
It doesn't quite have the adrenaline to be a great thriller, but Catch a Fire makes up for it with compelling characters and a genuinely important theme, skillfully told. There's not much else you can ask from a film than that.
Gritty apartheid drama pushes PG-13 limits.
If Derek Luke's performance is anything to go by, than we might just have the next great actor of this generation.
Movies like Catch a Fire are perhaps the most banal sort to write about.
...as the credits rolled, I did hope for more.
3 3/4's..Decent bio-drama. A little rough around the edges, but decently done. Derek Luke does a fine job. The story of what happened in this country is never a dull one.
Super Reviewer
great film. derek luke and tim robbins put out two great performances and at times in the flick youre not sure which side to root for even though you know apartied is wrong. they really did this well and you can see the struggle of the opressed.
Liloh: And I realized nothing has changed. And I dont think South Africa will be ever Free from Whites and their terror against em. This Movie was more than just a Movie. A great Friends recommendation and long review on her experience and the review on the movie made me watch this Movie twice. Thank you Lilo
A well-documented thriller that features a powerhouse performance from Derek Luke as a man descending into hatred and rebellion after government wrecks his ideal life apart. Robbins gives a very restrained performance in this one, a little too restrained for my taste, however, this movie is all about Luke. It's a familiar setting, with a few turns in the plot that I didn't completely buy into, however, the positives outweigh the negatives here. The ending packs a swift emotional blow, especially seeing Luke being able to interact with the real Patrick Chamusso at the end of the film.
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