The science-fiction film director and South African Neil Blomkamp has made a name for himself in Hollywood with his special effects heavy flicks District 9 (2009) and Chappie (2015).
Blomkamp has shown a knack for realism in his films which feature South African cities like Johannesburg warts and all. The city of Johannesburg like its American counterparts is full of poverty, drugs and crime. Yet sometimes people rise out of the grime and crime to make a name for themselves with real-life rags to riches stories.
South Africa’s Die Antwoord did exactly that. The hip-hop duo composed of Ninja & Yolandi have already made a name for themselves with their electronica music influenced by the South African street culture.
The audience io introduced to the duo who are named after themselves early on in the film. At first-glance you may think that the two are from Central Casting, Hollywood but in actuality they two are from the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa. Blomkamp allows the audience to be a fly on the wall of the “Zef”, South African street culture of Ninja & Yolandi. The duo’s criminal actions are super-charged and over the top for Hollywood purposes but their performances are sincere and honest snapshots of the actors very real backgrounds.
Watching some musical artists transition into acting can be painful, Ninja & Yolandi do it seamlessly. Ninja & Yolandi have created such an affable criminal duo for the screen that they will forever be compared to the likes of Sid & Nancy or Bonnie Clyde. Think of them as sort of Natural Born Killers (1994) meets Blade-Runner (1982).
Let’s hope Blomkamp keeps putting out science fiction blockbusters that depict a very believable science-fiction world but captures the reality of the people and their conditions as well.
