The Bang Bang Club DVD
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Taylor Kitsch, Malin Akerman, Frank Rautenback, Neels VanJaarsveld
Director: Steven Silver
Rating: 3/5
Greg Marinovich & Joao Silva are the only two surviving members of The Bang Bang Club and they penned the book of the same name back in 2000 - a story which has now been adapted by first time feature film director Steven Silver.
Greg Marinovich (Ryan Phillippe), Kevin Carter (Taylor Kitsch), Ken Oosterbroek and Joao Silva, whose photographs captured the final bloody days of white rule in South Africa.
Two were awarded Pulitzer Prizes for their acclaimed work. The film tells the remarkable and sometimes harrowing story of these young men - and the extraordinary extremes they went to in order to capture their pictures.
Anna (Malin Akerman) is their photo-editor, who looked out for them, protected them and made sure their photographs were seen across the world.
Sure this movie is set during political unrest in South Africa but this in not a movie with a political message or coming down on either side of the argument - which is quite nice.
Instead Silver's script focuses on the lives of the four photographers who put everything on the line to get the pictures to tell the story of what is going on in this country.
There are four great performances from the central characters, especially Ryan Phillippe and Taylor Kitsch, who seem to really struggle with what they see and the images that they capture.
While a country is in disarray around them The Bang Bang Club follows them as their job slowly takes a physical and mental toll on them.
Silver's documentary experience really shows in the close up and camera work and the visceral shots of the film - the script does lag slightly behind - but that doesn't harm the movie to much.
Visually The Bang bang Club is stunning as Silver chose to shoot in many of the actual locations were the action took place - the film just has a real feel of authenticity about it.
The Bang Bang Club is an entertaining film as Silver mixes enough lighter moments to make it a good watch without it being too politically heavy.
The performances from the cast really are great as Phillippe, Kitsch, Rautenback and VanJaarsveld bring the story and struggles of these photo-journalists to life.
The Bang Bang Club is out now on DVD & Blu-Ray.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw