This film is the equivalent of a film about the USA where the main character would only eat in fast-food restaurants and experience drive-by shootings from the moment the character gets off the airport until the moment the character leaves.
The film portrays Congo as a stereotype where black people are raping and killing each other constantly. Furthermore the main character proclaims twice that aidworkers are wasting their time because things will never change. The film is racist, colonial, and contributes to the view that Africa is inhabited by murderous sub-humans who will never be able to build up a society.
Europeans and Americans generally view only a few films about Africa, therefore every individual film has a large impact on their image of the continent.
The imagery in this film is great! When Laura walks the streets you feel like you are actually there. The story line is fast and mildly compelling with some weird skips and sudden character changes.
But... imagine if someone from Congo would see this movie, what do you think he or she would say?
The film portrays Congo as a stereotype where black people are raping and killing each other constantly. Furthermore the main character proclaims twice that aidworkers are wasting their time because things will never change. The film is racist, colonial, and contributes to the view that Africa is inhabited by murderous sub-humans who will never be able to build up a society.
Europeans and Americans generally view only a few films about Africa, therefore every individual film has a large impact on their image of the continent.
The imagery in this film is great! When Laura walks the streets you feel like you are actually there. The story line is fast and mildly compelling with some weird skips and sudden character changes.
But... imagine if someone from Congo would see this movie, what do you think he or she would say?