First of all, I want to make it clear that I am a foreign film lover. If you aren't, don't bother with this film because you will hate it.
This film is interesting because it shows the life of the poor and underclass in Africa, and gives a brief glimpse into the rich when the lead character of the movie visits a gay man.
There are subtle references...some insulting...on the various types of people who come and go in the film. The lazy government employee (the postman), the corrupt government employee (the policemen are show twice in the film of either taking bribes or were implicated in it), the corrupt government leaders (the title character even imagines himself one, riding in a parade in front of the poor), the rich whites (who make racist remarks on the boat about the Africans while showing a pet dog better off than most people in the country), and student rebels (who tie up the character on a truck and are no better than the corrupt government officials), a gambler, and wrestlers.
But the narrative is confusing, as if those who made it were in first year of film school and just got their camera. What does it mean about the cattle being slaughtered? Are Africans being led to the slaughter? In the end why does the lead character run away from the boat that was to take him to Paris, where he dreams throughout the film of going? What is the near white primitive caveman doing riding his motorbike? What happened to the skeleton in the trunk they had stolen (they thought they were stealing money) Did it mean something else?? Who knows? There is no explaining of it by the director.
The film does offer the beautiful colors and landscapes of Africa and you can almost smell the sweat and odors of the places visited.
This film is interesting because it shows the life of the poor and underclass in Africa, and gives a brief glimpse into the rich when the lead character of the movie visits a gay man.
There are subtle references...some insulting...on the various types of people who come and go in the film. The lazy government employee (the postman), the corrupt government employee (the policemen are show twice in the film of either taking bribes or were implicated in it), the corrupt government leaders (the title character even imagines himself one, riding in a parade in front of the poor), the rich whites (who make racist remarks on the boat about the Africans while showing a pet dog better off than most people in the country), and student rebels (who tie up the character on a truck and are no better than the corrupt government officials), a gambler, and wrestlers.
But the narrative is confusing, as if those who made it were in first year of film school and just got their camera. What does it mean about the cattle being slaughtered? Are Africans being led to the slaughter? In the end why does the lead character run away from the boat that was to take him to Paris, where he dreams throughout the film of going? What is the near white primitive caveman doing riding his motorbike? What happened to the skeleton in the trunk they had stolen (they thought they were stealing money) Did it mean something else?? Who knows? There is no explaining of it by the director.
The film does offer the beautiful colors and landscapes of Africa and you can almost smell the sweat and odors of the places visited.