Lumumba (2000)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

This is an interesting and well made film but does not really catch the complexities of its subject. Lumumba was a great speaker and a firebrand, but he had a contrary and illogical personality that somehow managed to alienate the man from EVERY major player in this complex tale - all the important Congolese politicians, the UN, the Americans and of course the Belgians. All these parties ended up exasperated with the man and finally intensely disliking him, often for wrong reasons (contrary to what the Americans thought, he was not a communist....). So, in this respect, the film eulogizes its subject by presenting his good, but not bad, traits (he hardly endeared himself further to the Americans by requesting the authorities to furnish him with prostitutes while on an official visit to the US.....). Apart from that, the film is reasonably evenly-handed and allocates blame for his death where it should lie. I thought the portrait of Mobutu was effective..

A movie like "Lumumba" stands or falls with it's main performance, and I'm glad to say Eriq Ebouaney (copy-paste to the rescue) definitely knows how to hold up a movie. His acting has a wonderful natural touch to it, which makes it tough to imagine the movie with anyone else in the lead. Lumumba was a pretty complex political figure, it's good to see that he's become a complex character as well. The second main thing this movie has going for it is probably it's pacing. The movie seems very compact, it knows when to move on. It never drags, and the mere fact that it manages to cram this story into two hours without leaving any important stuff out is an amazing feat. It also employs that narrative structure where the entire movie is told in flashback, which works out really well here and also comes with some excellent voice-over monologues. Even if you're not a total history buff, hell especially if you're not a total history buff, this movie is very compelling. Excellent production.

I liked this film but to like it, you must know more about the history of Congo. You must also know some more about Belgians and their disrespect (and that is a metaphore!) of the Congolese state. Lumumba and the Congolese people didn't deserve this as he was right. We Belgians did exploit them for decades. But just because Lumumba reacted not so friendly to Bwana Kitoko (the king was called this way by the Congolese in a previous visit, he was hailed as a great leader) they had to further destabilize Congo and assassinate Lumumba. So he called for the help of the USSR, that was his only option as everybody else was against him. For the Congolese people the US didn't do anything like they did for us with the Marshall Plan. They did support Mobutu's cruel dictatorial rule with lots of money. What good did that do for the average Congolese?And the trouble didn't stop with the flight of Mubutu. In modern sociological terms, Congo is considered a failed state. And that has it's reasons (and we Belgians are responsible for a large part of those). I hope that Lumuba's dream will still come true and that the Congolese peace process will last so peace and a way of living that is accepted by all Congolese may finally come for them. Back to the film: You can't expect to understand the complex situation the new independent Congo was put in just by watching this film. That's like thinking the film Enemy at the Gates will explain me everything about the battle of Stalingrad. The film is restricted in many ways and the viewer must understand that. first: It's a film, not a documentary. Some of the scenes are interpretations but they are needed for the plot. second: The main character is Lumumba. Not everything about the troubles in Katanga or elsewhere is told, neither is everything about Mobutu told. It would have been an endless film that way. third: The film is an African film, let them create their own ways of telling this story. White people shouldn't tell them how to tell a story. But I'm glad that some funded this film that tell some people more about an unclear history. It might encourage them to find out more about Lumumba or various other things after the credits roll away and that is a good thing.

'Lumumba' is a touching biographical movie of Patrice Lumumba, a nationalist (not a communist) who sacrificed his life for the cause of unification of his people. The movie also depicts the complex relationship between the Congo and several western countries, particularly Belgium and United States.