COLLISION

South Africa, 2022, 99 minutes, Colour.

Langley Kirkwood, Bonko Khoza, Tessa Jubber, Mpho Sebeng, Zoe Sneedon, Thumi Buti, Samke Makhoba.

Directed by Fabian Martorell.

This film would have a strong impact in South Africa. It also has a strong impact on audiences outside South Africa, looking in from the outside, the dramatisation of the many problems, possibilities for solutions.

The film ends with the collision (reminding some audiences of the opening of Paul Haggis’s Crash) and ends with the collision and its aftermath. We are introduced to several characters, some dead, some wounded, and two characters with guns.

Then the screenplay goes back 48 hours.

There are quite a number of principal characters as well as quite a number of contemporary South African themes, postapartheid, a glimpse of an image of Nelson Mandela at the opening.

We see of white couple, affluent, having problems with their recalcitrant teenage daughter who skips school, goes instead to a nightclub, is in a relationship with the African singer. The father, seen with a gun at the opening, works for a company managed by his sister-in-law, gives a presentation for a promotion but fails to get it. He becomes depressed, wanders, then angry at the abduction of his daughter.

We see the black man with the gun at the opening, something of a local gangster, running a club, connected with abductions for human trafficking, encouraging the singer in his club, but putting the pressure on the singer’s close friend, son of the housekeeper in the white home, threatening his sister, to betray his friend and organise the abduction of the daughter of the white couple. We also see his human trafficking connections.

The film builds up to a drama at the end of the 48 hours, suggestions to the gangster that he ask for a ransom for the girl, the gangster’s confrontation with her and putting her in the boot of the car. The singer wants to call the police, his friend apprehensive.

In the meantime, there is something of a subplot about migrants to South Africa from countries like Nigeria being unwelcome, taking jobs, a shopkeeper rabble rousing with a friend, threatening his daughter and her Nigerian friend, ending in tragedy. The rabble rousing young man is driving a van and involved also in the collision.

What follows is something of a high noon situation, the two with the gun facing each other in the street, the singer intervening, shots fired. Leaving the audience to ponder these complex themes and troubles in contemporary South Africa.

1. A South African story? 21^st-century post apartheid? The legacy of apartheid, racism?
2. The Johannesburg story, the portrait of the city, neighbourhoods, wealthy white, poor black, migrants from Nigeria, shops, contrasting with socials, nightclubs, human trafficking…? The musical score?
3. The structure of the film, the collision, the three vehicles, dead, survivors, the two men with guns, the boot and the daughter? Going back 48 hours? The range of characters, themes, interconnections? The resumption of the collision, audiences knowing who was in the vehicles, the consequences, the buildup to the confrontations, shootouts, deaths?
4. Johann, tensions with his wife, with Nicky? The scenes at home? His going to work, the possibility of promotion, his presentation, losing the promotion, clashes with the woman promoted and challenging her, her defiance? Wandering the city, later, his daughter’s disappearance, his wife’s criticism? The phone calls, the information, going to search for the daughter, with the musician, with the son of the housekeeper, promising to pay the ransom, the rendezvous, the collision? Finding his daughter in the boot of the car, the gun, the pursuit of Broke All, the musician standing in between, guns, shooting? His wife, participation, grief, the daughter, the camera ascending on the tableau of the dead?
5. Nicky, age, school, defying her parents, her phone and, the music, photographing herself, leaving school, the nightclub, the musician, the dancing, the sexual encounter, late home? Defying her parents? Her being abducted, imprisoned, beaten, in the boot of the car, saved?
6. The musician and his friend, filming the music, the ambitions, going to the shop and ask for a job in the refusal, playing at the club, Broke and his response, seeing Nicky, plans for the human trafficking, his pressure on the friend, money, the betrayal, the abduction, Broke and confronting Nicky, the plan for the ransom, in the car? The musician, lifestyle, singing, the music, the drugs, Nikki and the relationship? His wanting to save her?
7. The subplot of the storekeeper and his daughter, Gavin and his rabble rousing, Adds and the relationship with the daughter, wanting to be a chef, the father and his attack on his daughter, the two men and the rabble rousing with their followers, the riot, the police, ousting the migrants from Nigeria, burning and looting the shops?
8. The daughter, with Adds, hopes for the future, the chef, trapped in the shop, the looter and his bashing adds, the phone call to her father, his desperation, the lock on the gate, her being shot? The film is commentary on migrants and jobs and assimilating in South Africa?
9. Johann’s wife, her sister, the socials and charity, the fashionable women, concern about her daughter? The sister-in-law as Johann’s boss, threatening him?
10. 48 hours in Johannesburg, the range of themes treated, in thriller fashion, action fashion?