Lack of good storyline.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

I have to look up my original review for Sarafina! that I wrote back in 1992. I wrote it for the college newspaper and, of course, I kept all my articles I wrote that were published. I have some fond and funny memories of this movie review from over 20 years ago.#1: I called it the very best movie of 1992. Hands down, no question. And the year was just barely half over.#2: My editor/teacher edited my article and the line: "…and it's the best movie of 1992" to "…and it's the best movie of 1992, in my opinion." I thought that was the funniest and saddest thing I ever seen her write. OBVIOUSLY it's my opinion, or I wouldn't have accomplished the goal of writing a movie review, or: opinion piece. (We published it WITHOUT her input/edit.)Wow. Well, in my defense, I saw it at a screener and I must've been in an excellent mood that day. Because there are things wrong above and it ain't my mentor's editing. (She is still wrong.)One should never conclude the year in September and state this or that's the best or worst of the year. *Especially* with award season coming up. Also, I was definitely wrong: This is the same year that released Aladdin, Unforgiven, Scent of a Woman, Basic Instinct, A Few Good Men…just to name a handful and all of my favorite movies. And some of those came out earlier than this one. So, I truly don't know what I was on.At any rate, fast forward to 2013. I found this movie on DVD for a very small amount on Amazon.com. Thinking that I absolutely loved it in 1992, and that it'll probably never appear on BluRay, I purchased it. Somehow it sat shelved until recently and I rewatched it, only for the 2nd….and last time.Yeah, it didn't hold up. I even felt I was over-generous for giving it 3/5 (or in IMDb-land 5/10.) Sure the story was there and the heart was in the actors, but the songs were really mediocre at best and the feeling was only mild this time.The oddest and most coincidental thing about this viewing was that I decided, after almost a year of owning it without revisiting it, I would watch it finally and it was just past the passing of Nelson Mandela. This movie's core is about him and why they fight and move forward. I hadn't remembered that from my original viewing over two decades past.I guess I would recommend this movie, but, regrettably, not as much as I did long ago. It's a movie about war, peace, hope and prevailing. It's uplifting, fun and funny at spots while also being deep and depressing. It's not a great musical, but it's one we can stand behind.* * * Final thoughts: Wait until you get to 12/31 before you choose what's the best of the year. Take my amateur word for it.

If you are looking for a funny, moving movie that could best depict the life of teenagers during the despicable apartheid era in south Africa, this is one. The main character hooks her hopes on the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela. One easily understands the role Mandela played for his people, and understands the controversies that the apartheid era played on the common public in their every day lives. I would also recommend this movie to those who don't know what apartheid was and are hoping to learn about it in a interesting way. They music and dancing is also wonderfully African. It is sometimes hard for westerners to appreciate the African call-chorus music arrangement. This is why some critics have been very harsh on the music. However I call to them to not look at this movie as a typical traditional musical such as the 'sound of music', it is an African musical and respects African music arrangements. Enjoy the movie :)

Sarafina! the film is based on Mbongeni Ngema's play of the same name and it draws inspiration from the student riots that took place in Soweto, Johannesburg in 1976. The film/play was never intended to be a historical documentary explaining Apartheid for an international audience but rather a story about young black South Africans living under Apartheid.The film is an excellent adaptation and the musical numbers are well integrated but also evoke the stage through their inclusion. Some may feel that it is inappropriate in a film about such serious issues, but songs and music formed an important element to anti-apartheid protests and they should be seen within this context. The film 'Mapantsula' made five years earlier, demonstrates this same tendency as prisoners sing as they are led into the cells.The film is beautifully shot - the red earth features very strongly - subtly reminding us of mother Africa. It's incredibly well written - I don't think there has been such a well-written film to come out of the country since. Ngema captures the struggle for freedom - the big picture - but does not lose sight of the fact that these were also just teenagers filled with the same angst as teenagers everywhere. Ultimately the film portrays a realistic view of oppression and freedom fighting. It was not easy to live under apartheid neither was it easy to fight against it and there are no heroes in the killing of people, no matter how good the cause.A fantastic film that needs to be better understood.

I only saw a few minutes of Sarafina!, but I must comment. I think a musical can never be a great teaching tool for anything but a drama class. I have been to South Africa, and granted, it has changed since the days of apartheid, what I saw in this movie is nothing like reality. Even today, the classrooms are not that nice, and the black people I met were nothing like the ones in the movie. I was privileged to see a few concerts of African music, and to spend a large amount of time in classrooms, both in white schools and black schools (yes, they are still segregated, although by location, class and money, rather than law). The general attitude of the people I saw in the movie was inaccurate, as were many details. I couldn't even figure out exactly what story they were trying to tell until I looked it up on TV Guide because it was so generically "African". I am sure that as entertainment and emotional manipulation, the movie is quite effective, but if you are interested in history, please find a more accurate source.