Duma (2005) User Reviews

A pleasant surprise

[desh79 · 8/10 · 19 June 2005]

I have no idea why this movie got such a small-scale cinema release. It certainly can't have anything to do with the quality of the film. I was surprised by Duma, because it's an extremely well-directed film which treats its audience with far more respect and intelligence than a lot of so-called "family" fare available. Also, as opposed to many films with animal protagonists, Duma doesn't treat them as objects of half-witted hokey slapstick fun, but instead makes the entire friendship between human and animal seem extremely touching and authentic.

In a way there is something almost Miyazaki -esque about this movie, in that it draws you into the narrative not with half-baked nudge nudge wink wink references which only adults will understand, but through its intelligence and excellent sense of drama alone; not to mention the great performances by Eamonn Walker and Alexander Michaeletos - two names to look out for in the future if their performances here are anything to go by. At any rate, Duma is one of the few cases where the possibly over-used moniker "A film for all ages" definitely applies. Recommended if you can find it.

A fresh touch of poetry

[mendhak · 8/10 · 6 August 2005]

Being used to today's explosion-filled, fast-paced movies being churned out on a weekly basis for the sake of selling tickets, Duma is what I'd like to say a slap in the face for all of us who get excited over the mediocrity that has brought out "The Interpreter," "Stealth," and what else is playing now...? A movie that I would definitely recommend for an entire family to watch together, there's nothing in here that would make you want to cover your kids' eyes or ears up at anytime. Instead you'd want for them, and for yourself, to sit up and pay attention to this smooth, smart movie.

Don't wait for any explosions. There is a story being told in this movie, and its being told with a fresh touch of poetry which I haven't seen in a long time.

I gave this movie an 8/10 because of one reason: Although the movie is set in Africa, its really hard to tell until halfway through the movie. In fact, the place looked whiter than Little Rock, Arkansas! But it got an 8/10 because of the story, the storytelling, and the smooth pace at which the movie flows.

Captures the heart of true friendship and of the African wilderness

[cosmic_quest · 8/10 · 11 May 2006]

'Duma' is a poignant tale of a young South African lad's devotion to his pet cheetah and that can easily be enjoyed by both adults and young children alike. It doesn't pander to infants in the audience, relying on good story-telling, engaging character interaction and beautiful scenery to set the scene for a thoroughly delightful film.

In this film, we follow the adventures of twelve-year-old Xan, a child raised on a small farm in remote South Africa and whose best friend is Duma, a cheetah he found as a tiny cub. Life is good for boy and cheetah until Xan's father takes ill then dies, forcing him and his mother to relocate to the city in a move that would condemn Duma to an animal reserve. However, Xan is determined to follow his father's plans to return Duma to the wild and embarks on a journey across the planes of South Africa with his beloved cheetah by his side. Along the way, he befriends mysterious, and possibly treacherous, drifter Rip and Mashaka the bush baby.

Alexander Michaeletos, who played Xan, is a very natural young actor and captures the heart of his character depicting the boy's unflinching love for Duma as well as his underlying pain at the loss of his beloved father. Eamonn Walker also delivers a great performance as gruff Rip, leaving you wondering about his motives in regards to Xan and Duma until he finally shows his true colours. And, of course, the animals themselves deserve much credit! Mashaka the bush baby was just adorable as was the big-hearted Duma, who really seemed to have a bond with young Michaeletos. I also loved how they included Duma's sound effects, bringing home just how cheetahs are like over-grown house cats with the way he mewed and purred away.

The wonderful thing about 'Duma' is there is nothing cutesy or pretentious about it and that is refreshing. It doesn't rely on silly jokes or overly-precocious kids to sell its story. It is just an endearingly honest film about how friendship can transcend species and one boy's journey both across Africa and across the bridge between childhood and adulthood. Highly recommended for animal lovers who want something a bit different from Hollywood kiddie flicks.

Splendid is everything . . .

[JohnDeSando · 19 December 2005]

"Nature breaks through the eyes of the cat." Irish proverb

With the emergence of digitized everything, photography of the actual thing is now the amazement. Splendid is everything visualized in Duma, the story of a young South African boy, Xan (Alex Michaeletos) who brings up an orphaned cheetah, Duma, to the day when his father (Campbell Scott) decides it is perilously close to the time when Duma couldn't survive in the wild.

And so, about the time they are to return Duma to his world, Xan becomes a sort of orphan himself because dad dies and leaves Xan and his mother with a big ranch to tend. As predictable as the right of passage story that ensues with Xan taking Duma back, there is a freshness of simplicity and beauty, joy and sorrow that overwhelms the clichés and makes you eager to go back to animal stories of early film, like Old Yeller, where the pets are as human than their masters and make real the abstract idea of Nature.

An unusual care for lens and animal is palpable from director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Werner Meritz, unforgettable even. The four cheetahs used for Duma are as often lensed close up as they are in long shots, beautifully stretching their sixty-mile –an-hour legs.

With the consistency director Carroll Ballard showed in the acclaimed Fly Away Home, he weaves the theme of abandonment and reconciliation into every major scene: Even the enigmatic intruder Rip (Eamon Walker) has exiled himself from his tribe and is now returning home, cruising the river with Xan like Huck and Jim. That eventually animals and humans must take up their responsibilities is also present almost from the first frame.

Nothing new here, just a good old-fashioned pet tale, which never is boring for me, a perpetual boy with an English major's tendency to see poetry in a landscape or a cheetah's eye.

"Nature never did betray the heart that loved her." Wordsworth

A survival adventure with riches to mine... and a cheetah

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 14 April 2013]

I put off seeing "Duma" (2005) because, even though I like an occasional animal movie, I didn't expect "Duma" to have any depth. I was happy to be proved wrong. I should have expected no less from director Carroll Ballard, who's known for other artistic and meaningful animal films, like "The Black Stallion" (1979) and "Never Cry Wolf" (1983). Another thing I was pleased to discover is that "Duma" is more of a survival adventure than a kid's animal flick. Yes, we have the kid's pet cheetah, and also an accidental pet bushbaby (or galago), but the film's more about the two main characters than the animals.

The two characters happen to be Xan (short for Alexander), a South African boy who takes off from home to release his pet cheetah into the wild. The other character is Ripkuna (Eamonn Walker ), an African drifter trying to find out where he belongs in the world after some bad experiences. This relationship is the core of the picture. For a brief period of time these two stumble on to each other and it's a fortuitous meeting because they both have something the other needs, at least for the present.

The cheetah, the galago and the other numerous animals are great too, as are the awesome African visuals (shot in South Africa and bordering Botswana), but it's Xan and Ripkuna's relationship that gives the film depth and makes it absorbing. This makes up for a couple of eye-rolling parts, like the part where Xan is saved from some bullies at school.

So "Duma" provides the best of three worlds: amazing animals, awe-inspiring geography and some potent lessons to chew on. Add to this a notable diverse score by George Acogny & John Debney and you have a great or near-great animal film.

The film runs 100 minutes.

GRADE: B+ (7.5/10)

Duma, we hardly knew you.

[grchambrun · 10/10 · 14 October 2005]

This was such a lovely film for everyone, and it seems to be ending its New York run this Sunday, October 16th after just 17 days. Why? Not only did it receive excellent reviews, the showing I attended last Saturday afternoon in the counter-cultural East Village was packed! As a much needed quality family film, "Duma" should have been given a wide release and much more promotion. I rarely go to the movies, and I was waiting and hoping for its release for months.

A wonderful family film with affection, learning, adventure, mystery, and respect between the boy Xan and his cheetah, Xan's father and mother, and Xan's friend Rip. It also has a Prodigal Son theme. The cinematography is exquisite, with the golden cat with the golden eyes and the golden African desert and savanna that seem to stretch on for eternity.

A beautiful, humorous, gentle, poignant, and touching film about love, kindness, and mercy. A genuinely loving family. The courage to grow up. Are these values too truthful for Hollywood, or they too real for the general public?

excellent family film but not Ballard's best work

[andrewmsidle · 7/10 · 26 March 2007]

I rented this film when I discovered that Carroll Ballard had directed it. One of my favorite films is Never Cry Wolf, and I also own and love The Black Stallion. Both of these films transcend the typical family film with an intellectual depth and patience worthy of the finest dramatic films made. Duma explores the same Thoreauvian theme of man's relationship with nature but lacks the kind of patience necessary for a more intellectually emotional and thoughtful study. The photography isn't as rich and complex as Wolf or Stallion either. Having said that, the wildlife footage is amazing and frankly, mind-boggling, and if you liked Fly Away Home and the human relationships in that film and in Stallion, you will probably like Duma. In addition, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying the shots of Duma, the cheetah. What a beautiful and lovable cat.

A heartwarming coming of age movie that deserves to be seen

[webgoddess · 10/10 · 7 August 2005]

I feel fortunate that Warner Brothers has chosen to screen "Duma" here in the Chicago area. I only hope they decide to support a nationwide release because this is a movie that deserves to be seen. I found myself crying several times at the touching story, and also heard my own laughter echoed by others in the theater during the humorous moments.

I found out about "Duma" while I was researching a book I'm currently reading. It's called "The Spotted Sphinx" and is by Joy Adamson - the same woman who wrote "Born Free". During the filming of the movie based on the book "Born Free", Joy was given a young female cheetah and was asked if she could rehabilitate it back into the wild. "The Spotted Sphinx" and its follow-up, "Pippa's Challenge" are about that rehabilitation process. "Duma" is about a similar situation, except it is about a young boy and how he also finds himself while helping his pet cheetah find "home" again. The boy who portrays "Xan" is excellent in the role and you can really feel the love he has for his animal. The cinematography is beautiful, and I was very pleased with how true-to-life they were with how cheetahs interact with people. Cheetahs can be tamed (for the most part) and are very affectionate - something that was shown in the film.

I went to a matinée showing, fully expecting to be one of only a few in the theater, but was pleasantly surprised to find it almost full. There were more adults than children, so that just shows that the limited press "Duma" received was enough to make others want to see this film while they had the chance. I'm an adult, and have no children, but love films that show the beauty of nature and positive interactions with animals. This would be a great film to bring kids to, particularly boys since Xan had such an amazing coming of age adventure.

By the way, the music is excellent too. I really hope they end up releasing this on DVD.

A Good Family Movie

[nturner · 6/10 · 9 November 2008]

This is a family film with a simple story. A boy and his father rescue a baby cheetah, raise it, and plan to return it to the wild. When the father unexpectedly dies, the boy sets out on his own to return the cheetah to its environment. There's nothing complex in the tale, but a family film doesn't need to be complex to be a good story and get its points across.

You can sit down and watch with your children or grandchildren and not be totally bored because of the extraordinary scenes with Duma, the cheetah along with the exceptional beauty of the countryside. The relationship between the boy and his father as they work with the young cheetah offers rewarding insight into that special bond between father and son. As the film progresses, we see how that bond has provided strength of character to the boy when he is alone and faced with the trials that arise in his quest to return Duma to his rightful home.

Some of the totally improbable occurrences in the film caused me to drop my personal rating, but they surely will have little effect upon the younger viewers of the film. After all, this is a film created for family viewing. I was also disappointed that the DVD did not have a special feature about the making of the film. As I watched the movie, I looked forward to seeing some of the behind the scenes insights to working with the cheetah, but then found there were none. I often find that the special features very often "make" a film of this sort. As example, the special feature included in March of the Penguins, I thought, was far better than the movie because it gave far more insight into the total experience.

If you enjoy and simple story, beautiful scenery of exotic places, and exceptional interaction with a beautiful wild animal, you'll enjoy Duma whether you watch it with adults or children.

Wonderful! Dramatic and entertaining enough for adults, it also captures the grace and magic possible with real human-animal relationships

[bopdog · 10/10 · 12 June 2005]

This movie is so good, I wonder why it is in such limited release? At least in Wales, it only plays for two showings each weekend. Anyway--- I like animal movies, generally. Even those that stray into a bit of the fantasy, such as 'Bingo', and 'Two Brothers', can be enjoyable and charming.

'Duma' was delightful. I have not read about the making of the movie, but they did use real cheetahs. Some kittens, adolescents, and maybe adults, too. I found the representations of the human-cheetah relationship entirely believable. And even though this is a 'family' movie, and suitable for 12 year-olds, it was also solid enough to get an adult through it as well. The peril is plausible, the characters' motivations and behaviors seem reasonable.

Overall, the movie worked well enough as a movie--- entertaining, dramatic, etc. But more, and the reason I gave it a 10 out of 10, is the movie also seemed to portray the charm, grace, and dignity of a truly great relationship a human can have with an animal. That, placed in the movie-world context of family drama and human enterprise, is a wonderful and magical thing.

Pretty much "Walkabout" set in South Africa....

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 19 November 2017]

A boy and his father rescue an orphaned Cheetah in South Africa. They raise Duma with the intention of one day returning him to the wild. Unfortunately, the father dies and the mother decides they cannot remain on their farm and need to move to the city. But what of Duma? The cheetah is supposed to be transported to a game reserve but escapes and the boy, Xan, decides (very impulsively) to take off across the South African wilderness to take Duma to a place where it can be free. The problem is that Xan is an idiot...and the country HUGE and forbidding. And, because it's a family movie you know that somehow despite Nile Crocs, lions, hippos, poisonous snakes, starvation, dehydration and much more that somehow it will all work out in the end...that's just the sort of uplifting film this is.

In so many ways, the movie reminds me of the Australian flick "Walkabout" but with a different locale. Both involve kids surviving in the wild as well as meeting up with folks who help them along their way. And, overall, I'd say the two films are about equal in appeal, though Xan was an incredibly impulsive and stupid boy. There also were a few parts that didn't make a lot of sense-- such as when he discovered food and civilization yet continued on his trek and the talky and preachy finale!

A must see family movie

[wadavies · 9/10 · 20 February 2006]

Our family saw Duma yesterday and we loved it so much, I had to place our vote today! Congratulations to Carroll Ballard, Warner Brothers and everyone else responsible for creating such a beautifully filmed movie with an equally as wonderful story! Duma is a must see for children; it sure beats most everything else out today in terms of story quality! The cinematography was incredible and all scenes involving animals were wonderfully done. I hope that big studios bring us more movies of this caliber for family entertainment. I for one, and hopefully not the only one, am tired of special effects carrying a movie as well as heroes and villains that are way too out of the ordinary.

Parents - Decent Family Movie, but exercise caution for younger children

[mail355180 · 7/10 · 22 December 2006]

I'm not going to provide a comprehensive review, but provide a caution to parents who might be deceived by some of the other glowing family viewing endorsements. I have a hard time considering this movie appropriate for children as young as 5, as some suggest, or even a couple years older. If you're a parent, read on.

The story begins with the death of the mother cheetah by lions, thus orphaning Duma. I also read quite a number of reviews and yet none mentioned the father died. Most reviews suggest that sickness required the family be transplanted to the big city, not death. There are segments where Xan is trying to evade animals that could eat him. There's a segment, not very well developed and rather unbelievable, where havoc erupts when Duma enters school grounds and in an unpleasant scene, classmate bullies corner Xan in the bathroom while Xan is searching for Duma before the police see and shoot him (surprise...Duma saves the day). These things are not lightly touched upon in cartoon or offhand fashion, but presented as real events with real consequences.

Maybe these are spoilers, but my point is that for parent's screening films, it should be known. There are some parents and kids that don't seem ruffled by emotional themes that resonate especially with children (abandonment, death of parent(s), being lost, being all alone to deal with dangers or fears). There are other parents though that want to shy away from movies that do so at least at a younger age.

Our 7yo son crawled into our bed after the movie and wanted to be alone to cry after this movie. At some point in his growth, it will dawn on him that he could be all alone just like Xan. My son was also crying for the mother because now she was all alone. But one should walk into this movie at least being aware and prepared that you may need to talk your children through it.

This is not a movie to park your kid in front of the TV with and this is not a movie for 5 year old's. If you were hoping for an uplifting tale of a boy who rescues and raises a cheetah then has excitement and adventures before releasing him to the wild...it is, sort of. But that's like saying Saving Private Ryan is story about a man who, well, saved a Private Ryan. Along the way, it can get a little scary and touch on topics that you ought to be prepared to field.

I flew away home after I saw it.

[CIMC · 5/10 · 29 August 2005]

In Fly Away Home Carroll Ballard directed a moving story of an orphaned flock of goslings that needed to be guided through their first migration. The guide was a young girl that recently lost her mother and she was helped by a father she didn't know at all. Duma is a radical departure from that theme. In Duma it is an orphaned cheetah. a young boy and a deceased father. If it worked in Fly Away Home so well why not stick to it eh? Duma begins with a cheetah cub being orphaned when some mean old lions make a snack out of mama. It's the first of many scenes where Ballard shows his impressive talent for weaving nature footage into a feature film. The problems start when we are introduced to the human characters. The acting is not the problem and with a cast including Campbell Scott, Eamon Walker and Hope Davis it shouldn't be. The characters they have to play though are too two dimensional to really care much about. Scott plays a father without flaws and Davis is a caring but slightly distant mother. The early scenes of Xan (a debuting Alex Michaeletos) with with Peter (Scott) do not carry enough emotional weight for the death of Xan's father to move us.

Xan's subsequent quest to return Duma to the wild is where the real story is. Again it is a competently performed story that plays more or less straight with nothing to really engage us outside of beautiful shots of cheetahs and the South African landscape. Ripkuna (Walker) finds Xan sheltered in the wreckage of an old airplane where his motorbike ran out of gas. As they begin their journey across the wilderness they encounter dangerous and benign animals to about the same effect for filmgoers: mild, detached amusement. Toss in some light personality conflict and you've got an idea of what happens.

One wonders what a South African director might have done with the same material. Though there is a different sensibility in adult-child relationships, it's still a little uncomfortable watching a black man dig for water in a scalding sun while the white kid sits in the shade with his pet cheetah. Nothing is taught to the audience in Xan's classroom either though it's almost entirely white. Even in naming the cat there is a chance to say something. Duma is the Swahili word for cheetah. Swahili isn't a dominant language in South Africa but Duma only sounds cool to them because it's from a language that they don't, and likely wouldn't, speak. Would any of the Anglophones on this list name their cat Gato? Duma doesn't end up having much to say about love, loss or life in South Africa. Great wildlife shots redeem the film a bit but given that Ballard already told this story, it would have been nice if it was done as well this time around.

A Truly African film directed by an American director - finally!!!

[garethtiedt · 26 December 2005]

Duma - A story about an orphaned Cheetah and a boy who rediscovers his life after an unfortunate tragedy - A journey that ends with a new beginning.

I often watch films made in America and by American directors that depict African scenes in their movies, and they can never truly portray the African way of life.

Carroll Ballard is one of the first to successfully portray this properly - well, almost :-) He still used the word "Gas" instead of the word "Petrol". Us South Africans never say gas. He also changed the geography of the journey quite dramatically, and at times Xan jumped miraculously 500 km from the East of Botswana to the west of South Africa, and suddenly 5 min later, he jumped 500 km north to the Central North West of Botswana (The Okavango Delta).

But please don't think I am bad mouthing the movie. Everyone is allowed the use of poetic license, and the way that Carroll Ballard did this showcased some of the most beautiful places in Southern Africa, and the world, including Augrabies Falls in South Africa, Sowa Pan and Kubu Island (Part of the largest salt pans in the world, the Magadigadi Pans), the Okavango Delta and many more...

The story is blissfully simple, allowing young children to enjoy this film without asking questions, as well as allowing adults to marvel at the scenes being shown to them.

The photography as far as the filming of the cheetahs goes as well as the African wilderness, was magnificent, as well as the sound effects...they were not artificial, unlike many of the other films made today, which use completely unnatural sound effects for the animals.

A must see for anyone who appreciates a good, heartwarming story, the African wilderness and good, honest, down to earth film making 9/10

Ideal family fare

[neil-476 · 7/10 · 14 May 2010]

Young Xan and his father happen upon a newly orphaned cheetah kitten, and Xan adopts it. As Duma, the cheetah, reaches adulthood, Xan's father explains how he must be returned to the wild, but then suddenly dies. Xan, his mother, and Duma are forced to live in the city. Xan realises that this will be the destruction of Duma so he runs away, intending to return Duma to the wild as agreed with his father. Things go wrong, however, and Xan is forced to team up with itinerant Rip, who says he is returning to his village, but may actually want to sell Duma...

This undemanding family film has a very small cast but a great deal of attractive landscape and wildlife photography, as it meanders amiably through a plot which crosses Walkabout with Born Free. The story runs along fairly predictable lines, albeit with a couple of relatively unexpected wrinkles on the way. There are aspects which are, frankly, a bit unbelievable, but the film is sufficiently good-natured that this doesn't really matter.

A Sensational Work Blending Heart and Mind

[aharmas · 10/10 · 6 October 2005]

"Duma" comes along to show us it is possible to create a work of art that combines compassion, intelligence, creativity, and insight. I'm a bit hesitant to even mind some of the comments made by a few people about this film. It is NOT about the people of the country, or a particular point of view. It is supposed to be about a boy and his closest relationship to another living thing on this planet. It is an adventure that doesn't rely on cheap special effects and far fetched ideas that no one but a movie executive find any connection to. It is not about throwing a gimmick in front of our faces and failing to deliver. "Duma" just opens a window to a world that is slowly dying in front of us.

After seeing the film, I couldn't stop thinking about the marvelous nature of the cheetah, as a creature, a friend, another member of this world's wonders. As the film unfolds, we witness other marvels along the way, as our young protagonist finds ways to solve several quests in the story. There were a few instances where I had to catch my breath for the sheer magic displayed on the screen: the vistas, the expressions, the lyrical beauty which was composed by the various parts. It was a universal experience that can reach and touch both adults and children. The best part is that we went back to the primal essence of cinema, the ability to conjure or transports us to the magic that exists in our own world.

"Duma" stands for the soul in us, a part of our world that keeps us going and refuses to let go. An artist, like Mr. Ballard can create this type of entertainment, the kind that allows us to reflect on what is important, leads us to think and to care about where we're going, and what the rewards and consequences might be. This is an important film that, in typical fashion, is being neglected by the moguls of entertainment. Catch it in the big screen to get its full impact, relish it, and pass the word around. Here is a film that earns the title of a classic right away.

a boy and his cheetah

[samzpan · 6/10 · 29 January 2006]

I read Roger Ebert's review of this movie, in it he said that this was not a kid's movie but slanted towards adults. Well, ha ha, I don't know about that. Supposedly based on a true story, this kid, (Alex Michaletos) takes a cheetah (duma) and tries to return him to the wilds. First off, cheetahs are not the most endearing animal on this planet. For one thing they are as skinny as a fashion model and have a sort of perpetual dumb look on their face. The director, Carroll Ballard, who also did The Black Stallion, provides no surprises in this movie. It is very predictable. The kid is cuter than the freckled faced actor in the Black Stallion. However the horse(s) in that movie had a lot more personality. Alex does have this whiny high voice and one can only hope that puberty is just around the corner. Unfortunately, the movie really is aimed at kids and not really adult fare. However, I did not fall asleep during it and the sound track is great, which if I can find it, I will buy it. Maybe cheetahs would be better off in zoos where they could be fed and could get fat.

Excellent - Reminds me somewhat of "Walkabout"

[Dave D-2 · 9/10 · 27 July 2005]

This film was a rare pleasure to behold, much like the joy I experienced in September 1993 at the Toronto International Film Festival screening of "SIRGA: L'infant Lion" (yet to be released on DVD in North America although released in Germany a few years ago). There are deeper messages here and these are truly welcome, unlike so much of the swill that passes for family entertainment these days. As much as I enjoyed "Two Brothers" (Jean-Jacques Annaud) recently, I do prefer this film by a director whose last film I enjoyed at the Toronto Festival some 8+ years ago - "Fly Away Home".

The journey taken by the 12 year old boy reminds me somewhat of the journey taken by a slightly younger lad and his sister in the also-compelling early 70s Nicholas Roeg film "Walkabout" which I also highly recommend if you like nature-type films (or should I say "au natural" type films ... ha ha). I rate this one 9 out of 10.

Anyway make sure you get to see this once it comes to your part of the world either theatrically or, likelier on DVD.

something (in the) wild

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 23 February 2024]

Carroll Ballard's final movie as a director is one of the many movies in which children have to develop their survival skills (it could be a double-bill with "The Journey of Natty Gann"). In this case, a South African family adopts an orphaned cheetah and raises him, only for a mishap to send the son and the cheetah into the wilderness. "Duma" isn't a masterpiece, but it both gives us a look at the wildlife of southern Africa, and respect for said wildlife. Mind you, some scenes look pretty dangerous; there ARE plenty of predators in the wild.

All in all, it's a fun movie that, like a 1966 movie, reminds us that wild animals are born free.

Duma movie great for families and parents

[Badgerbroom · 9/10 · 4 March 2006]

A lot of parents, myself included, enjoy movies and are constantly looking for something worthwhile to attend a theater and take our kids to. I prefer to enjoy the movie I've paid for and would rather be at least a little interested. Unfortunately the last few years have been extremely hard on parents; if we want to take our kids to movies we might as well sleep because the movie is going to insult our intelligence and have the kids repeating the most annoying catch phrases for the next week. I'd rather not and try to keep that kind of movie watching to a minimum or less. I found Duma by accident while I was looking through foreign films to be shown at Seattle's Northwest Film Forum. There they had a small summary of the film and I was curious to see if they were right. I took my husband and eight-year-old daughter to see Duma and was very pleased. Duma has the cute cat, a cute kid, loving parents, but also something more about growing up with a conscience and braving your environment to accomplish something great. I saw Black Beauty as a child and loved it. So tonight when I saw Duma I was surprised that the director Carroll Ballard also directed Fly Away Home another winner movie. This is the sort of film that makes you feel good as if you have watched Disney's White Fang. The previous reviewer mentioned that it was reminiscent of Walkabout; another good film. But how many films do we get to see a realistic Africa in? If the Disney company could take a lesson and hire intelligent directors like Carroll Ballard and I wouldn't have to screen the critics before going to the movies--boy that would be nice. I'm also grateful to Roger Ebert for recommending this film and making Warner Brothers take notice that the film they were ready to shelf is worth more than they give it credit for. My daughter cried, and laughter and said she really liked this film. I feel the same way, but on so many more levels. Kudos to everyone who worked on this film to make it worth substance!

Nature , friendship and courage

[ninoguapo · 7/10 · 23 March 2007]

Duma reminded me of one of my favourite books "Rules of the Bone '. It is a movie about friendship between a boy living in South Africa and a cheetah named Duma. At first the story line may seem a bit simple, but then you will notice all the serous issues Duma deals with. The role of the young Xan is played by Alexander Michaeletos – he has really cute English accent which made me seek some more information about him. I found out that he is leaving in a farm in South Africa like the character he plays so well in the movie – real you can almost sense his feelings and fears. Duma is also a fine example of a coming out of age movie – I would like to quote some of the dialogue:

"Change, yeah. That's what happens. All the time. The little boy that left home......is not the little boy that is with me now, eh? See? Change."

Duma is a movie you would enjoy watching with your younger friends and relatives – they will like it and learn many things from it.

The cinematography is brilliants –you will enjoy the beautiful nature scenes or the animal scenes – I almost felt like I was watching a documentary about animals at times – so believable were those scenes.

Terrific picture of beauty of wild nature and power of human heart and friendship

[Juni78ukr · 10/10 · 29 December 2005]

Many years ago Carroll Ballard (little known that time) with already famous in that days Francis Ford Coppola created a stunning visual treat called The Black Stallion. Now more than twenty fives years later this exceptionally talented director (unfortunately I haven't seen his Fly Away Home) brought to us another terrific masterpiece, movie filled with beauty and love.

This time it is a story of Xan, twelve or thirteen years old boy, who lives with his parents on their farm somewhere in the heart of South Africa. Their life is very close to what we can call harmony with outward things and particularly with wild nature. One day Xan with his father accidentally found on a road a helpless cheetah cub and since than Duma (they picked up such a name because Duma on Swahili means cheetah) became a part of the family. Soon bonds of friendship or love (depends on how you would call that) tie the boy and the animal but as wisely said Xan's father they can't breed Duma forever and some day they must set him free. However some unexpected obstacles forced them to move into a big city and after an accident in the school Xan realizes that the time has come and he must do something for his friend. So the adventure begins. I guess some people could find that hardly possible but than our heart tells us sometimes we can do things hardly explainable and the movie shows us that Xan is not a cosset city boy. He must travel through hundred of miles and many tests and finally he grow up during this adventure. Although there is nothing spoiled in Xan's character (there are obviously some similarities with Kelly Reno's Alec from mentioned The Black Stallion) throughout the movie we can see that he is just a more or less ordinary boy who is doing the things he believes in. And that's the most important here is somehow his innocence and pure heart is able to awake the best in people around him. This character is brought to life by Alex Michaletos, who was terrific playing such interesting and memorable character. This newcomer for hour and a half makes me feel sick about most of overrated today's Hollywood young stars. His performance is full of life and very believable all the time. Eamonn Walker (who plays Ripkuna, a mysterious man whom Xan meets in his journey) is a good and very suitable choice for that character. Among other decent supporting cast it is worth to mention Campbell Scott and Hope Davis as Xan's parents.

The cinematography is excellent all over the movie from subtle shots on the farm to beautiful shots of wild savanna and desert. There is a feeling of harmony and some easy to feel beauty here. However it's quite important that the director always know sense of proportion and the movie never looks like a Discovery or Animal Planet show. One of the main heroes, the beautiful cat is also perfectly shot from different angles. Nice music with lots of thematic African elements excellently supplements all the rest.

Duma is a very beautiful, intelligent and poignant movie about discovering, love, friendship and all positive in human beings. This message of the movie is quite simple. The beauty, love and human kindness still can save our world and this is worth fighting for. Unfortunately these values are not very common to modern Hollywood production. This movie didn't get a wide distribution with reasonable marketing campaign, which it definitely deserved (unfortunately in our commercialized world you hardly can sell anything without good marketing). In my personal opinion Duma is one of the very best motion pictures of the year, and the only second movie that earn my respect and got highest possible grade from me (the other one was Dear Frankie). Congratulations and my sincere gratitude to Warner Bros., Carroll Ballard and all people involved in making this spectacular masterpiece. I'm also so happy that I was able to watch Duma on English, not only a dubbed version (although this time it wasn't really bad).

Thanks for reading.

sending the wrong message

[roli_oida · 1/10 · 16 January 2015]

Usually I really love animal movies. Used to as a kid, still do. But this one made me angry. Yes! ANGRY! I'll tell you why: The basic story of rescuing a wild animal is a well known one. Keeping those as pets, is something we have seen before too. As much as this is a very debatable subject- i'm willing to go with it, if the characters act genuine, loving or aware of the consequences. However this people are the worst main characters I've ever seen in a movie like this. 15 min in i was so angry about their behavior, there was no way to enjoy the rest of the movie. Surely there is nice imagery and my respects to the animal trainers. But all this is lost, by sending the wrong message to viewers (which is): animals are toys. pick them up at street, take them home, not even thinking about their actual nature and throw in a "they should be in the wild" in the ending. No, just no. The father loses barely 2 sentences about returning Duma to the wild, but they never do. They never even try to prepare him. They simply keep him like a normal pet. Only after they incident at school they boy is ready to set him free. Which, BTW, is the most unlikeable kid character and actor ever.

Free Willy wasn't perfect either, but it moved a lot of people. What kind of story is this movie supposed to send? Pick up endangered animals whenever you like, as long as you put them back whenever you like. If it's going to be an adventure -even better.

An exquisite film that everyone should see.

[jemicron-1 · 10/10 · 14 August 2005]

An exquisite film that weaves a compelling tale of friendship and loss of a family member without pulling any punches. The characters all act in a believable fashion and have more depth than in many such films. Each character is driven by their own motives -- not always honorable. The camera work brings alive the scenery and the animals without being overdone. Each shot is well chosen and suited to the story. The direction and editing are crisp and effective. This film deserves a wider distribution as it is far superior to much of the family fare out there and deals with real issues. If its in your neighborhood, get out and see it.