By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Djo Munga
Starring: Diplome Amekindra | Hoji Fortuna | Manie Malone | Marlene Longange | Patsha Bay
Country: belgium, congo,_democratic_republic_of_the_(zaire), france
Year: 2011
Running time: 98
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1723120/
Thom says: “Quick, how many films have you seen from the Democratic Republic of the Congo? While this was a screener I had my doubts but the gigantic surprise that was awaiting me was all thrills. Because this was director Munga’s first feature film it did have a few doubtful scenes but the overall effect was shockingly pure cinema. VIVA RIVA! was recently awarded the prize as Best African Film for 2011 from their Academy Awards & I say bravo. Since I had no idea what to expect it took me some 15 minutes to be swept away with the riveting film but it ended up with a WOW reaction in what was basically a Congolese gangster film with a body count mentality. Because making a ‘gangster’ film in the DRC seems so novel the idea really hooked me but when it became obvious that the film would hold up to the best of Miike’s Yakuza films & To’s gun battle films I really perked up. Riva returns to the DRC capitol of Kinshasa after fighting in some war & he & a partner obtain a huge cache of petrol which is in short supply in the area. But, safe to say, there are other reprehensible characters that want either a part or all of the action, including a very evil foreigner that kills at the drop of a hat, the local crime syndicate, a wayfaring police woman, a head of a local church, and other dirty deeders. And then Riva makes a grievous error in pursuing the gorgeous girlfriend of the local mob boss. And just exactly whose side is she on? His chances of coming out on top of this scenario get slimmer and slimmer. Don’t expect many of the main characters to still be around by the film’s end. But along the way you’ll get a steady run of riveting action that is non-stop fun. No one to really root for can often be a problem for films of this nature but the exotic locale manages to raise the film above its genre. 5 cats”