Mapantsula

The lack of critical consensus that has accompanied the release of anti-apartheid films points to the fundamental drawback of these movies and social-issue dramas in general: they tend to be films that are good for you more often than they are good films. MAPANTSULA is afflicted with this well-intentioned failing. MAPANTSULA (Zulu dialect for small-time crook) revolves around the political awakening of Panic (Thomas Mogotlane), a petty thief. At the beginning, Panic's political rebellion is limited to robbing whites foolish enough to stray into his neighborhood. Since Panic has once before informed on a fellow criminal to gain an early prison parole, when he is arr...