Robin Smith Movies

Actor Morgan Freeman portrays anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela in this Clint Eastwood-helmed political drama adapted from author John Carlin's book The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed the World. Set just after the fall of apartheid and during Mandela's first term in office, The Human Factor explores how the political prisoner-turned-president used the 1995 Rugby World Cup -- which was hosted by South Africa -- as a means of bringing blacks and whites together after decades of violence and mistrust. Matt Damon co-stars in the Warner Bros. production as rugby player Francois Pienaar. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a South African exile returns to his homeland to find that justice hasn't brought peace. Vusi Madlazi (Ice Cube) is a student and political activist living in San Francisco; he was born in South Africa, but his connection to anti-apartheid rebels made his family fear for his life, so he was sent to the United States, where he's been ever since. When he attends his father's funeral, Vusi visits South Africa for the first time since the fall of apartheid and Nelson Mandela's rise to power. However, he discovers that not all the changes in his country have been for the better; drugs and gang violence have begun to overtake Soweto, and his older brother, once a dedicated anti-apartheid activist, isn't sure what to do with his life now that the changes he fought for have come. Vusi's mother asks a favor before he returns to America; his younger brother Steven (Eric Miyeni) has run away, and she wants Vusi to look for him. While searching for Steven, Vusi meets his brother's girlfriend Karin (Elizabeth Hurley), who works as an exotic dancer. It turns out that both Karin and Steven have become addicted to crack, and Steven's disappearance is probably linked to a $15,000 debt he owes to crime kingpin Muki (Ving Rhames). Director Darrell J. Roodt's previous film was Cry the Beloved Country (1995), the first major film produced in South Africa after the collapse of apartheid. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Living up to its tagline, "Payback can be deadly," this installment in the popular-on-video Kickboxer series follows the travails of a displaced fighter out to avenge his friend's death. Stepping in for former hero Sasha Mitchell -- who in turn stepped in for original Kickboxer Jean-Claude Van Damme -- is Mark Dacascos, playing Matt Reeves, the longtime buddy of David Sloan (formerly Mitchell, here played by an uncredited actor). When he finds out that Sloan was murdered after refusing to join a nefarious boxing organization, Reeves travels to South Africa to get Bollen (Greg Latter), the evil leader of the cult-like federation. Redemption: Kickboxer 5 was given the "Redemption" prefix upon its 2003 video release. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

The fourth (and final!) entry in this kick-boxing series, sees the return of Michael Dudikoff as the leading foot flinger. Here a scheming sheik trains a bevy of ninja marauders that he's hoping can help him in his plan to hold the world ransom by holding hostage none other than the city of New York. ~ Rovi

Tom Reed (Kenneth Gilman) is a University of Florida ornithologist whose interest in vultures causes him to be mistaken for an international secret agent know as "vulture man." With his former flame and neighbor Kimberly Blake (Brenda Bakke), Tom is tracked by the CIA, the KGB, and African drug runners throughout the dark continent. The duo tries to survive in this low-budget comedy spy thriller. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi