Silverton Siege
After a failed sabotage mission, a trio of anti-apartheid freedom fighters ends up in a tense bank hostage situation. Based on a true story.
- Released: 2022-04-27
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Stars: Arnold Vosloo, Tumisho Masha, Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini, Stefan Erasmus, Sarah Kozlowski, Justin Strydom, Clayton Boyd, Jacques Gombault, Elani Dekker, Shane Wellington, Michelle Mosalakae, Mariska Denysschen, Maureen Wells, Vincent Mahlape, Keaton Ditchfield, Deon Coetzee, Craig Jackson, Jacob Batalon
- Director: Mandlakayise Walter Dube, Jr.
Comments
- info-90701 - 6 August 2023
I'd give it a 10 had they told the true story
It is a travesty to take a real historical event, and bastardize it so much with Hollywood drama that it is unrecognizable as the event that a actually occurred. That is what happens in this film according to the history I've read. It is too much off the mark to get a 10 out of me.
That said, if it had not been based on a true story, it was very good, well done and well acted. It was also well directed and the music when used was appropriate.
However, from what I've read, too much of what they put in the movie never happened, and it had enough drama on its own for them not to have ruined it with lies. What a shame. Now future generations will believe a lot of inaccurate information, like the ending of the film Glory. - roblaingjoeblog - 23 July 2022
Great showcase for South African talent
This movie lends itself to a lot of criticism about historical accuracy. It doesn't claim to be journalism, and it catches the "vibe" of the times very well. - Tweekums - 12 May 2022
Solid hostage drama loosely based on real events in 1980
As this South African drama opens four anti-apartheid activists are planning to attack a fuel depot in the outskirts of Pretoria... they don't realise that the police are expecting them. When they spot the police they try to escape. Following a chase one of them is killed and the three survivors, two men and a woman, flee into a bank. Once inside they take the staff and customers hostage. Outside the police, led by Captain Johan Langerman, surround the only way in or out of the building and wait to hear the hostage takers' demands. Tensions rise as it becomes clear that the only way the trio are going to leave the bank is in handcuffs or body bags.
I didn't know any details of the original events so while watching I wasn't bothered by how much it differed from reality. Watching this purely as a drama it proved to be gripping. The action starts early on and tension is maintained until the end. Many reviewers complain about the film being overly woke but it was less so than I'd expected; the police weren't all evil racists and the activists weren't perfect. The cast was impressive; most notably Thabo Rametsi as the group's leader Calvin Khumalo and Arnold Vosloo as Captain Langerman. The locations used are fairly limited but effective; the inside of the bank and the square outside... although anybody who has been to Pretoria will know this is smack bang in the middle of the city not in a suburb miles away! Having read a little about the actual events I'm not sure all the changes were necessary although I can understand why they were done as it added some drama. Overall I'd say this is worth watching if you like a good hostage drama; even if it isn't that accurate it might inspire viewers to read a little more about the events.
