Darrell James Roodt Movies

Jennifer Hudson stars as Winnie Mandela in this biopic directed by Darrell James Roodt (Zimbabwe, Meisie), and adapted from the Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob-penned biography Winnie Mandela: A Life by screenwriters Paul L. Johnson, Andre Pieterse, and Darrell James Roodt. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A woman will go to any lengths to protect her wayward son in this thriller from South African filmmaker Darrell James Roodt. Stephanie (Melissa Leo) is a middle-aged woman living in Tennessee, where she waits tables to help her family make ends meet. Her son Steven (Renier Basson) has fallen in with a gang of ruthless drug dealers, and while she's still willing to do anything for her son, he often takes advantage of her unconditional love for him. Stephanie hasn't heard from Steven for several months when she gets a call from T-Boy (Joey Dedio), a dope dealer and pimp living in Johannesburg; T-Boy is holding Steven hostage, and won't set him free unless someone pays him off. Scraping together the last of her life's savings, Stephanie flies to South Africa to come to Steven's rescue. Stephanie discovers the go-between in the payoff is Steven's girlfriend Tina (Lisa Marie Schneider), who is also a prostitute in T-Boy's stable. As Tina makes Stephanie jump though hoops before leading her to T-Boy and her son's captors, Stephanie refuses to give up or give in until she sees that Steven is safe. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

An American family on vacation in Africa are stalked by lions after becoming lost in a game reserve in director Darrell James Roodt's fierce, wilderness-based thriller. Bridget Moynahan and Peter Weller star in a film produced by Videovision Entertainment and released to stateside screens by The Weinstein Company. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The undead discover a new home in the far reaches of space in this blend of science fiction, action, and horror. In the year 3000 A.D., the crew of a commercial space freighter happens upon the wreckage of the Demeter, a massive space ship that has been missing for nearly a century. Aware that there's a substantial bounty being offered for the return of the ship's cargo, the freighter's crew begin exploring the Demeter to see what remains, and they discover that the ship's hold includes a large cache of black coffins. However, the real surprise lurks inside the coffins -- a gang of vampires, taking advantage of the darkness of deep space, have taken refuge in the Demeter's payload, and they soon begin attacking those who have discovered them. Can the freighter's crew keep the menace at bay until the ship's orbit takes them into the path of the sun? Dracula.3000 includes a stellar exploitation cast, including Casper Van Dien, Erika Eleniak, Coolio, Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr., and a special guest appearance from Udo Kier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A woman endures the painful birth of her child. Two doctors argue about the ethics of saving the horribly malformed child's life. Years later, a nurse is found brutally tortured and murdered, hundreds of syringes plunged into her, and Buckley Clarke (Lauren Holly), a tough homicide cop, is assigned the case. The victim's brother, Sam Brown (Robert Patrick), is a reclusive wilderness tracker living in Alaska. He gets word of the crime and goes to San Francisco to undertake his own investigation. At first, Clarke is dismissive of Brown, but she's soon forced to acknowledge his skill at finding clues and tracking his prey; seeing that she can't get rid of him anyway, she allows him to participate in the investigation. Soon, other victims turn up in similar conditions, and the FBI becomes involved, convinced that there's a serial killer on the loose. But Clarke eventually realizes that the victims are not being chosen at random. They all share a terrifying connection. Despite their disparate backgrounds, Clarke and Brown grow increasingly attracted to one another as they combine their talents to determine the killer's identity. But the killer soon learns that the intrepid pair is closing in, and the hunters become the prey. Pavement was directed by Darrell James Roodt (Cry, the Beloved Country) from a script by Charles Hansen. The film was shot in Cape Town, South Africa. ~ Josh Ralske, 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, All Movie Guide

A kickboxer decides he would like to retire, but tragically, his wife is killed in an explosion which sends him back into the ring. Soon he is involved in an unnaturally violent and crooked tournament. After finding out who is responsible for his wife's death he is intent upon revenge. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

Whoopi Goldberg stars in this musical take on the South African struggles against Apartheid in the mid-1970s, during the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. An adaptation of Mbongeni Ngema's popular musical, which ran on Broadway from 1988 to 1989, Sarafina! recounts the political coming of age of the title character, a high school girl involved in the Soweto student protests of 1976. At first just a petulant bundle of energy, more interested in boys than civil rights, Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) learns of the Afrikaaner oppression through the underground lectures of her teacher, Mary Masembuko (Goldberg). Sarafina's mother, who works as a servant in a white household and never sees her children, urges Sarafina to toe the line. But she can no longer turn a blind eye when the government imprisons her teacher and slaughters her would-be boyfriend during an arson protest. Incited to rebellion, the students kill a crooked black constable, leaving Sarafina to wrestle with their decision to use violence against the government's strictures. Ever tightening its grip, the ruling regime would kill 575 blacks over eight months in an attempt to quell the civil unrest. The sober subject matter is leavened by Ngema's jubilant songs and Michael Peters' electric choreography. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

A group of eight South African mercenaries are driven to fatigue and insanity in this violent anti-war drama. Cooper (Sean Taylor) narrates as one of the soldiers led by the bloodthirsty O'Grady (Greg Latter). Set out on a search-and-destroy mission, the group kills a young cowherd and a witch doctor before slaughtering an entire village, and the shaman casts his supernatural spell from beyond the grave on the already insane soldiers. The feature serves as a metaphorical example of the political chaos and violence in South Africa. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

It took many years of filmmaking in South Africa before this first anti-apartheid drama saw the light of the silver screen. Commendable for its ground-breaking message, its scenes of suffering at the hands of white oppressors are well-integrated with a completely realistic storyline. After a black farmhand is driven to stealing a chicken to help feed his family, he is beaten to death by his white farm boss. Gracie (Gcina Mhlophe) wants to bring the farm boss to justice for the death of her brother and ultimately finds some assistance in a reporter (James Whylie) who has been sent to the area to cover the fighting that is going on. The local priest warns the reporter not to get involved, but his advice is not taken, and further confrontations result. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide