Customer Reviews

Beat the Drum

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have seen this film several times while flying overseas. I'm anxiously awaiting it's release in the States to purchase several copies. Having lost a son to AIDS I know firsthand the struggles the patients and their families endure. I'm also a missionary to several African countries and know the magnitude of the stigma and suffering. Whether you're affected by this disease or not, this is a heart-warming story that you won't want to miss. It's an eye opener to the facts surrounding this disease in that part of the world.

Every once in a while a film comes along that really says something that matters. Recommended from another writer's book on poverty and social change along with BLOOD DIAMOND and TSOTSI, I picked up the film. It employed purely African actors and film crews, besides the director, out of a purposeful effort. BEAT THE DRUM ended up being one of those films that matters. Enjoy.

Set in southern Africa near Jo'burg, the story follows the journeys of a young boy named Musa. His mother and cousins have all died from the curse, but when his father dies from it at the beginning of the film, he is doomed to be known as the boy from the cursed family. He leaves his small village and heads to Jo'burg to look for his uncle and buy a cow for his grandmother, a journey which leads him into danger on the streets of the big city as he scraps for money and food amid the street riffraff.

The secondary storylines follow an older truck driver who is on the road a lot, whose wife does not trust that he is faithful while away and worries he'll give her AIDS. The owner of the truck driving company has a son who he learns is dying of AIDS, but doesn't want to face the truth of the disease's lack of favoritism.

The film puts faces and stories to the disease that is ravaging the African continent. There is much fear and ignorance surrounding the disease. People don't want to talk about it. Using local spiritists, they'd rather call on their ancestors for help than listen to the local medical workers. Some of them even want to spread the disease out of spite for the persons who gave it to them. The situation is dire, yet knowledge of the situation seems scarce enough in America. Not only does BEAT THE DRUM give a necessary voice to the voiceless Africans, it puts forward fantastic acting jobs and cinematography. The film is beautiful and sad, and while watching, I cried for Africa.

---Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

Excellent, excellent, excellent movie. Whoever wrote this is a master. What a great story. There should be more movies like this.

This film is so well done. It captures all the different aspects the face many Africans dealing with the AIDS virus...from the lack of education and knowledge in the village to the issues of prostitution and poverty in the cities. We used it as the foundation for a curriculum on HIV/AIDS education in Zambia, Africa and with every question or situation from the students we were always able to reference back to the movie. It is educational, entertaining and will definately move your spirit.

I saw this movie a year ago when I visited Johannesburg, South Africa around the time of World AIDS Day. To be there after watching this movie helped me understand the complexity of AIDS in Southern Africa. I attended a presentation by AIDS research experts where they tried to illlustrate that complexity to a group of Americans. This movie artfully and powerfully communicated the message that the research statistics could not. We left the research presentation with a lot of facts and figures....we left this movie in tears. Not only is it a great movie for its artistry, but it is an accurate depiction of the struggle against HIV/AIDS on the ground level. I will use this movie when I teach my students about AIDS around the world. This is a must see movie for anyone wanting to truly understand the AIDS issue in Africa.

This heartwarming, emotion-tugging captivating South African film entertains and at the same time artistically teaches the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. This is a fascinating feature-length film that stirs one's thoughts, transporting one's mind to South Africa, subtly instructing the viewer all the way. I look forward to experiencing "Beat The Drum" again when it becomes available in the states.

The movie definitely merits 5 stars for its excellence and for its heart warming and heartbreaking story. It involves Africa's struggle to deal with AIDS and its devastating effects exemplified in this movie by a young boy orphaned by that disease. His search to find the knowledge of how to deal with this terrible dilemma affecting his impoverished village leads him to set out for the big city,the latter filled with danger especially for a homelss young child. This movie is emotionally-packed and well done.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone young or old.

This is compelling, heart breaking and heart warming story that both saddens and inspires. The scenery is breathtaking, the acting is superb, and the message is one that needs to be heard by everyone.

"Prayer of Jabez" author Dr. Bruce Wilkinson worked to produce this movie on AIDS at the request of the President of Kenya (President Moi),Is is the most award-winning motion picture on AIDS: (28 awards), and is now in distribution in over 100 nations

Junior Singo does an absolutely excellent job portraying 10-year-old Musa, a Zulu boy who's lost his parents to AIDS, and takes up the his remaining family's burdens by leaving a dying village to find both work and an uncle in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Produced in 2002, BEAT The DRUM has earned dozens of awards and praise reviews for its uplifting message of hope and determination against the twin evils of poverty and ignorance which enable the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that's so far killed 30 million Africans, and left over 15 million children orphaned and on the street.

Despite some scenes and situations which will undoubtedly disturb sensitive and comfortable audiences (such as the villagers' resort to animal sacrifice and the raping of children in their desperation to "cure" themselves of what they believe to be a curse), BEAT The DRUM provides a handsome face and a strong spirit as a symbol of Africa's present struggles. It is a film I much recommend.

Having been to Africa recently, I would have to say that this movie displays a very accurate representation of the country of Kenya. The concepts and hardships that the characters deal with are very real, and the contrasts between tribal communities and Kenyan cities are accurate. This movie shows the truth, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone!