Zulu

The quintessential British action film of the 60s, also notable for being Michael Caine's film debut. John Barry's awesome score gives an almost otherworldly quality to this excellent, based on fact battle film. First rate acting from all involved, particularly Nigel Green as (historically fictional) Color Sargeant Bourne & James Booth as (historically real) Private Hook. Lush scenery, brilliant color, & narration by Richard Burton. Ripping.

Great acting, not perfect (but close) historical accuracy and a intriguing story make this film well worth seeing. Sadly I don't think that two specific aspects of the film have aged well: the fight scenes and the sound effects. A lot of the fighting is obviously fake compared to what we're used to nowadays and it's coupled with a lot of generic death screams. It really took me out of it. However, everything else about the film was surperb so it more than made up for it.

Strong characterizations dominate this movie! Although the historical subject may be unknown to many, stellar performances from nearly all cast members propel this movie to the top. Michael Cain portrays the officer you love to hate, creating the perfect foil for Stanley Baker's character. My personal favorite....Nigel Green as 'Colour Sergeant Bourne'

Atmospheric and well shot, with a brilliant musical score and good performances all round. It's starting to look a little dated nowadays, but not to its detriment. 'Zulu' remains one of the most enjoyable war movies ever made.

Great film.

The first half is admitting a little boring, but the battle which takes up half the film is amazing.

Long movie, the last hour was amazingly good with plenty of action. Those Zulu-boys were really stupid the way they attacted those British soldiers. After all a good British movie.

Not entirely politically correct, but not entirely politically incorrect, either.

An amazing achievement of scope and intensity. One of the most entertaining war films ever made.

Yowza! Based on a real incident in which about a hundred British soldiers in 19th-century Africa held off 4000 Zulus in battle. Great dialogue, memorable characters, terrific score by John Barry, and thrilling combat sequences. If anyone is tempted to read this review as a hurrah for imperialism, kindly allow me to point out that the Zulus were *also* an imperial power; they just had a much lower level of technology than the British

Honestly one of the best war movies of all time! And certainly a different take on war films due to it's setting. A definite "must-see" for fans of the genre.

Great acting, great music, great story. It's beginning to look rather dated nowadays though. It can't be helped though.

Interesting film, not about the actual battle, but about the politics and build-up to the battle. An interesting watch just for that.

Colonial propaganda film.

Depicts the Zulu's as savages, and the British as saints, but aside from that a very good film.

A great film showing a battle known to few. If you are interested in the British Army and are a fan of Michael Caine you will love this film.

"One thousand British soldiers have been massacred. While I stood here talking peace, a war has started." and with that we have Zulu, a great movie of epic proportions. It excellently captures war and the feelings of the men involved. With great cinematography and music with outstanding acting and great dialogue this movie deserves all the accolades it gets. It is does not try to preach one way or another it merely tells the story of how 100 british men fought against 4000 zulu warriors.

Forget all about the accusations of 'racism', 'savage depictions' and 'colonial point-of-view'. Similar to Starship Troopers, minus the satire, the 'heroes' are in actuality the villains (or at least misplaced braves) in this anti-colonial, anti-war epic. Spectacular but intimate, with a hypocritical missionary as the (easter egg) main baddie. The intense build-up, leading up to the assault, is brilliantly executed.

Men of Harlech, stop your dreaming!

The acting is uniformly excellent, yet the real stars here are the Zulu warriors--beautiful, dignified, magnificent.

Not just great action but interesting class and race elements.

Michael Caine + War = Good results. Worth watching.

Awesome war movie. Wonderful acting and story.

There is something in the pacing and dialogue of classical movies that is often not seen in modern cinema. I've often thought this was due to the dumbing down of modern culture, despite access to online resources, and perhaps also an increasing lack of attention and patience. This was Michael Caine's first film role and he was brilliant. It was overall well cast, great sets, costumes, music, and more. I look forward to watching it again in the near future.

British classic.

Well this movie would not get made today for many reasons lol. Definitely a good war film though; interested & sympathetic depictions of both sides, builds up a good sense of harrowing dread, battle commences at the right point dramatically an hour in, lotsa action, John Barry score, etc. Kinda hard to focus on the stodgy middle age English actors early on when every other scene has topless African babes in it though, it’s like trying to take a history exam with a boner

Good movie with a very young Michael Caine... looking at the fight scenes I must confess it hasn't aged well...

Poorly made and sloooow.

Interesting story, historical accuracy, and accomplished actors add up to a movie well worth seeing if this genre interests you.

Lets face it you always watch it when its on TV

One of the pillars of the combat film genre.

Based on the true story of a small number of British Soldiers in Rorke's Drift defending a garrison against a horde of Zulu's with a kamikaze death wish who don't believe in kevlar bullet proof vests as protection.Fine performances from Baker and Caine keeps this moving along at a reasonable pace.Without a doubt the highlight is the last battle towards the end with the gallant Brits singing 'Men of Harlech' whilst exhausted with uplifting vigour with the Zulu's chanting their own war cries.

Lots of action, good historical re-enactment of the battle.

it's a shame about how bad the fight choreography is. I get you needed a huge amount of extras and it's impossible to train everyone, but a handful could have done much better

Feels a little outdated at this point, with the amount of war films that have come out that are far less procedural and more thematically complex, but Zulu sets itself out to put its viewers in the experience of this war, with inevitably grave consequences, and does so with an uncompromised brutality that is harrowing, yet thrilling to watch.

I'd be a lot more forgiving if it wasn't so long, had any characters worth a damn, or gave any motivation for the battle other than "we're her majesty's army." The assumed sympathy by the audience is disturbing as is the complete dehumanization of the Zulus. Bodies strewn everywhere and an hour of slaughter and the most we get is "I feel a little sick" followed by a lame justification. There are some good battle scenes, and solid cinematography, but neither makes it worthwhile, just bearable.

Very well made old-fashioned war flick. The battle is brilliantly structured, gorgeously filmed and has epic scope and engaging presentation. Music is fantastic as well and acting is pretty decent throughout. I didn't get the racist or colonial argument but it doesn't quite manage to settle the story between the brutal futility & glorious heroics of war. It tries hard to have them both but doesn't quite succeed. Interesting, exciting & massively competent. The very end was a minor let-down.

What I liked about this film is that it's no-nonsense. There's barely any backstory or framing; there's just a fort, and Zulus attack it, for the whole film. Caine and Baker make a good central duo, and it's always made clear what is happening unlike in modern action movies. Some of the hand-to-hand combat is a bit clunky, but the military tactics, organisation of troops, and sheer numbers involved keep it compelling. A fine effort, if you don't mind the colonial chest-beating nature of it.

Some absurdities in its depiction of history and reality aside, this is a well paced and suitably harrowing war film. The film does a fantastic job of capturing the sense of dread in the impending threat of the Zulu in the first half while displaying an engaging battle on the second. The combat is sloppily choreographed in some parts with fakey looking camera cuts, but this doesn't diminish the overall tension of the battle or the sense of brutality. Shame the ending was really lame.

It has a few pacing problems, but the story and acting are good and the battle scenes are very good.

One of greatest war movies made as far I am concerned. Too bad that half a century afterwards most movies do not get even close. And goddamn thanks to Sabaton, that I got this masterpiece on my radar.

Kind of awkward to rally around imperialism, even when it does appear the imperialists are the underdogs. The battle scenes are a little long (and a little too staged); when they're not fighting, they almost seem to have forgotten why they're there. Still, it's undoubtedly a decent representation of fighting with your backs to the wall. (In addition, I'd love a movie with Zulu native chants and dances.)

Still entertaining, but the battle scenes look very staged.

Oustanding

I actually really liked this one. Top notch acting and directing make Zulu a great film along with the writing and the all around feeling you get from watching the actors and everything else. ENtertaining for me. Good, small story from history. I personally liked the music score.

Everybody does a damn fine proper British job.

It's good.