CRITICAL ASSIGNMENT
South Africa, 2004, 110 minutes, Colour.
Cleveland Mitchell, Nick Boraine, Hakeem Kae- Kazim, Moshidi Motshegwa, Thami Ngubeni, Terence Reis, Patrick Shai, Marius Weyers.
Directed by Jason Xenopoulos.
Critical Assignment is a second feature by South African director Jason Xenopoulos (Promised Land, 2002). It was written by Tunde Babalola, a screenwriter for South Africa as well as some English series for television. The film stars Cleveland Mitchell who created a character, Michael Power, for an advertising campaign in South African for Guinness (and a Guinness truck appears in this film as well). It is said that many people in South Africa thought that the Michael Power of the advertisements was an actual character.
The film has a strong South African cast including veteran actor Marius Weyers who appears in most South African films – generally on the side of apartheid or of crooked big business as he does here.
Cleveland Mitchell portrays Michael Power, a high-powered international journalist who is investigating issues of water availability in an African country. However, he overhears information about a potential coup. This is a set-up, by the secretary of the cabinet. In investigating the coup, arms deals are unmasked, international liaisons and they are finally revealed after some violence and attempts on Michael Power’s life.
Marius Weyers portrays the philanthropist who, in fact, is the head of two arms-dealing companies.
The film shows the government of an African country, the ambitions to do good with the developments of water availability but being sabotaged by coups and by money deals especially for arms dealers. The background is an international television network with representatives from the United States being present in Africa. There are touches of romance, but the film’s focus and dialogue is essentially on the social issues, the political issues, the action.
1.Audience interest in the film because of the African setting, the South African origin of the film? South African perceptions of Africa at the beginning of the 21st century, politics, social needs, arms issues?
2.The South African locations, the city, the parliament, universities and libraries? Mansions? The villages? The countryside? The desert? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3.The prologue: the confrontation between rebels and military? Michael Power and the other journalists covering it? Television, photographs? The violence, the deaths? Power seeing the bomb, running to rescue the military? His being honoured as journalist of the year in America? The introduction to Michael Power as journalist and as heroic leader?
4.His return to Africa, the issues of water? The president, his cabinet meeting, his decision not to give the arms deals to anyone, the allotment of money for water in the desert? The agreement of the secretary and leading the applause? The behind-the-scenes coup? The secretary, his staff, his deals with Thomas Rhines as well as William le Trois? The secretary and his mansion, using Sabina, the plan to set up Michael Power, the video and its being filmed beforehand, inviting him to the house, suggested information about the coup, arms at the airport? His deals with Rhines? The pressure on the president to change his mind? Almost achieving this? The information about the coup? Power and his continued investigation, the murdered man, the CIA connections, the tapes, the phone calls? The confrontation with the secretary, his attempting to flee, Rhines not allowing him into the plane? His return, getting his chauffeur to drive him away, the chauffeur being shot, his arrest? The president and the new declaration about the water?
5.Power and his assignment, travelling with Anita, her continued presence as his photographer? His friendship with Ed Johnson? Going to the village, the photographs, the plight of the people, the affected water, drinking, disease? The guided tour? The friendship with the head of the village? The project? The end and its success?
6.Michael Power and his relationship with Anita, good friend? His going to see Sabina, the attraction, his date with her? Anita’s seeming jealousy? The friendship with Sabina and the irony that she was setting him up? His visit to her in the library, the shoot-out with le Trois? Sabina and her conscience, her pretence to the secretary, giving the cassette to Michael, his urging her to go to the authorities, her doing so?
7.Anita, her skill at her job, developing the photos, protective of Michael? Ed, coming from America, sharing the information, going to the embassy, the double words of the official? The pretence? Michael confronting the colonel? Ed and his personal problems, his wife, Michael bringing her to Africa at the end?
8.The coup, the photos, the death of John Marshall? His phone – and the irony of giving it to Michael’s adviser in the hospital? Rhines and his deals, his philanthropy? The discussion with Michael on the golf course and his talk about golf? His press conference, Ed exposing him, his escape, the helicopter, pushing the secretary out of the helicopter? Le Trois, the money deals, the gun in the library with Sabina, the fight with Michael, his death?
9.African politics and this film reflecting them? Developing countries? The need for social development, especially clean water? The pressures on the politicians for arms deals, for arms supplies – just in case? The film as reflecting African situations? A critique?
