Catch a Fire (film)

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For The Wailers' album, see Catch a Fire.
Catch A Fire

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Phillip Noyce
Produced by Tim Bevan
Written by Shawn Slovo
Starring Derek Luke
Tim Robbins
Bonnie Henna
Michelle Burgers
Editing by Jill Bilcock
Distributed by Focus Features
Release date(s) October 27, 2006
Running time 98 min
Country France
United Kingdom
South Africa
United States
Language Afrikaans
Zulu
English
Budget $14 million
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Catch a Fire is a 2006 dramatic thriller about terrorism and freedom fighters in apartheid-era South Africa, based on a true story.

The screenplay was written by Shawn Slovo. Slovo's father, Joe Slovo appears as a character in the film.

The film was shot on location in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique.

[edit] Plot

The film revolves around Patrick Chamusso, a young, apolitical man (played by Derek Luke) who is accused of carrying out an attack against the government, and a police officer, Nic Vos, played by Tim Robbins. Vos is in charge of locating the perpetrators of a recent bomb attack - Patrick is unwillingly swept into this investigation; he, his wife (played by Bonnie Henna), and his family are mistreated and abused by Vos and his government workers. Desperate, he says that he is willing to confess to a crime he did not commit to protect his family from torture.

In spite of this, at last the police conclude that Patrick is innocent, and he is released. Fueled by the anger at the injustices suffered, Patrick joins the African National Congress and becomes exactly what Vos had initially accused him of being. This decision was an act of revenge against the government for killing his friend, tormenting not only himself, but his wife as well. He attempts to execute a plan to attack Secunda, the refinery he used to work for, by first bombing the water supply facilities, and 15 minutes later cause the main explosion. This would allow the workers (of which many are black) to flee between the two explosions, and not be harmed. Also, the damage of the first bomb would hurt the possibility of extinguishing the fire caused by the second, main explosion. Patrick succeeds in the first part, but the second bomb is discovered by Vos and deactivated. Patrick is arrested and sentenced to 24 years in prison. He is released earlier (in 1991) due to the abolition of apartheid. He then has the chance to kill the man who put him through everything, but decides that it is not worth it; revenge will not solve the war between blacks and whites.

[edit] Trivia

In a scene at the beginning half of the film depicting the white police and security personnel at the plant at Secunda searching the African workers entering the plant after a recent bombing occurred, the real Patrick Chamusso is seen standing directly in front of Derek Luke (who is portraying Chamusso in the film) when they are in line waiting to be searched before being allowed to go to work inside.

The name of the film is also the name of the 1973 album by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Bob Marley and the Wailers also lend some songs, both lyrical and instrumental, to the film's soundtrack

[edit] External links