Zulu

The British Empire; a time of prosperity and power but only if you were on the British side. Otherwise, it was not all great and while Britain saw many benefits, those witnessing the colonisation of their countries endured many hardships.

However, this was rarely the focus for British cinema and, until the mid 1960s, the British Empire was highly glamorised. There were the occasional exceptions prior to this and authors such as E. M. Forster made the darker side the focus of their stories but, ultimately, the portrayal was almost entirely positive right up until the colonies started to fragment. Caught up somewhere between the pro-Empire and the anti-Empire films that soon followed is Cy Endfield's British 1964 classic, Zulu starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine.

The story follows an outnumbered garrison of British soldiers defending their post at Rorke's Drift against thousands of Zulu warriors in 1879. Baker plays the hard-working lieutenant sent to the outpost with the plan of building a bridge, while Caine is Lt. Gonville Bromhead, the privileged, fresh-faced soldier with a family history in the military. It's not hard to see that one represents tradition and respect for their purpose while the other is more critical of their presence in the country, no longer interested in any more bloodbaths. The British Army has already endured a massive defeat and the same Zulu warriors were then heading straight for them.

Other the course of the film, we witness Bromhead's changing attitude to the ongoing conflict, but unlike similar films that followed, Zulu neither praises nor condemns the soldiers involved. They are far removed, both literally and physically, from the political powers that put them there and Endfield successfully crafts an interesting account of the battle at Rorke's Drift. His direction reflects the gradual changing perception of the British Empire, while ensuring a respectful depiction to the forces on both sides. This even-handed approach has earned the film many favourable reviews and is often featured among the various best war film lists.

Putting the complex story and themes aside, Zulu is aesthetically stunning to watch with timeless cinematography capturing the beautiful scenery, the scale of the conflict and the personal emotions of its characters. The acting is also top-notch across the board, as is Endfield's direction that has even earned him praise for the depiction of the Welsh soldiers' involvement. Having seen this several times now, it has only grown better with age owing much to its terrific pacing.

Zulu is a fantastic film, and I admire Endfield's approach to the subject matter. Depending on how critically you view the British Empire will affect your feelings towards this, but given the time in which it was released, Zulu still achieves so much in its storytelling that similar films, including its sequel, failed to do. If you have an interest in the subject matter or in war films, Zulu gets my full recommendation.