Admittedly, this is a bit too soap opery for me, a lot of melodrama going on, but I like the characters. My biggest gripe, really, is the lack of focus this has. The writing could definitely be better, but the storyline jumps around way too much. It should be about the moving of Illana to build the casino and Ntsiki's new found power(s). The sick child is more of a distraction than anything else & they should have saved him or let him die much earlier in the season, IMHO. There are several "whys" throughout the story thus far, that should have been dealt with up front, not dragged out as if they plan on going back later, doing so leaves the characters a bit flat and personally, I'd like to know more of their back story up front. However, I really like the idea and hope if they get a second season, they will deal with these issues.
23 Reviews
Not brave enough for me sadly
gurumaggie8 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I was enjoying watching a programme I wouldn't normally have seen, I have seen a film Matchsticks from Africa that was excellent, so I was up for watching this and to be honest it was really good fun and I was getting into it, the men were almost all useless and or corrupt, except for the dad and fiancee, then our heroine acts in such a stupid way she could be one of the men! I was so disappointed I could have wept, it's straight from Marvel good gets powers and acts like a fool and loses powers playbook, I won't be watching season 2 if it happens but I'd give it 31/2 - 4 stars for trying, tbf the sister should have gotten the powers she was bright and passionate.
Incomplete story-good did not overcome
kandiestone22 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The movie was not bad but it had a lot slow sections. The lead Actor... She did very well for what she was given. The writer left so much out of her character. That made me wonder what was left on the cutting room floor. I felt the movie was incomplete. How can you kill a immortal! I would like to see the balance of what was written and not cut out by the brown suits! African Shero"s & Hero's have a rich history! I wanted to see more magic and growth of her powers. I wanted her to be Blessed by the people. I need to be pulled into the movie I felt like fast forwarding often. I would recommend it for just something to do!
Terrible 'Action' choreography
mday00829 September 2022
This show had a great idea at its core, but it was completely wasted on bad writing, bad acting, and bad editing. I was expecting something like an African Ms. Marvel, but instead the hero only used her powers for a total of 3 seconds over almost 4 hours of episodes.
The choreography was cringe inducing. In one scene a small woman grabs a large guy by the shoulder and barely pushes him and he goes limp and falls down some stairs unconscious. In other scene a guy hits another guy in the shoulder with a crowbar and he falls limp and unconscious. There were many other ridiculous examples of people just falling unconscious at the slightest smack or touch.
The world of the dead looked like a cheap high school theater production with a paper mache stage.
Finally, the editing and story progression was so bad that at the end of the final episode of the season, it felt like the editor just quit his job and went home without finishing it. It feels very rushed, and not at all like the cliffhanger I guess it was supposed to be.
The choreography was cringe inducing. In one scene a small woman grabs a large guy by the shoulder and barely pushes him and he goes limp and falls down some stairs unconscious. In other scene a guy hits another guy in the shoulder with a crowbar and he falls limp and unconscious. There were many other ridiculous examples of people just falling unconscious at the slightest smack or touch.
The world of the dead looked like a cheap high school theater production with a paper mache stage.
Finally, the editing and story progression was so bad that at the end of the final episode of the season, it felt like the editor just quit his job and went home without finishing it. It feels very rushed, and not at all like the cliffhanger I guess it was supposed to be.
Great idea in paper.
cholofelomalunga-2995620 September 2022
This is Marvel meets African spirituality, the lead is underdeveloped and her acting is amateurish at best, the villain she's great and honestly she carries the whole series. This show has many problem, first of all the cgi is cheap, the score is not the best, the whole feel fails to transport you and in to their world, the tone struggles between soapy, thriller, action or horror, too many storyline and very little focus, besides all that I still had lots of fun, just suspend your disbelief and if you survive the first 2 episodes, it gets much better.
I love the mythology behind it all, I just wish they focused more on the leads journey to discover and learn her powers more and cut a lot of unnecessary clutter.
I love the mythology behind it all, I just wish they focused more on the leads journey to discover and learn her powers more and cut a lot of unnecessary clutter.
Brilliant Series
n-86034-0077820 September 2022
I loved it, it's definitely different. I can't wait for Season 2. The African Spirituality twist made the Series even more interesting. Ayanda went to a Sangoma to save her dying child at all costs, and she's told that for that to happen, The Brave One, needs to be reborn but in order for that to happen someone needs to die. Ntsiki's character is very interesting, the actress played thr tole very well.
The Series is one of the first South African Sci-Fi series, alongside The Blood Psalms on Showmax. September is a good month for the South African film industry.
I love it so much, I'm going to rewatch it.
The Series is one of the first South African Sci-Fi series, alongside The Blood Psalms on Showmax. September is a good month for the South African film industry.
I love it so much, I'm going to rewatch it.
Great story line
amadeucarlos15 October 2022
Nothing short of amazing .. it can only get better if new seasons are allowed.. I think, let the Powers that be allow season 2 and take it from there..
Nothing has been done in SA storytelling in that level so far. I feel critics should be less harsh on the first season and allow the maturity of both crew and production. As it develops, it can only get better as it polishes itself with the experience that all involved acquire, as they work on each successive season.
I also appreciate the fact that not too many usual faces were used. We can only on earth greater talent with that mindset and approach.
I also appreciate the fact that not too many usual faces were used. We can only on earth greater talent with that mindset and approach.
Great Story
creekhousecache23 September 2022
While it's true some of the transitions had to take place in my head (I know how to extrapolate) they actually caused me to be more invested in the story. I won't nitpick it to death over nonessentials I'll just say "where's season 2??". I'm going to be very angry with Netflix if this turns out to be another great series that they inexplicably drop in the middle. I thought Netflix had rethought their whimsical ADD attitude when deciding whether or not to continue series that everybody loves.
This series is another great cultural film that gives us glimpses into the life of people not us. I ♥♥
This series is another great cultural film that gives us glimpses into the life of people not us. I ♥♥
Where is season 2!!!
chriseclipse-7422825 September 2022
I just finished watching Season 1 and I've never seen anything like this ! Yes to Afro futurism and yes to keeping me locked in the whole time! Netflix, you cannot keep us eating for long! We need to see this next season ! I thought the story really kept me in the plot. I watched from Japan with my partner and we couldn't stop. We need more of this type of representation in the fantasy world of movie making ! Ntsiki was a very strong actress. As a matter of fact the whole cast really did an exceptional job. Johannesburg looked beautiful and it depicted Africa in a very futuristic perspective. I loved that!
This show is not that bad at all
shimonvin20 September 2022
Nice action, nice storyboarding to me.. and it's refreshing, not the typical fantasy stories you're use to.. the actors are really good. & the visual power effects are dope.
The first episode actually caught me by surprised.. and although it may seem slow paced at times, it adds to the world building because you may have never heard of this pantheon of gods.. It's very cultural, it's nice to see an African fantasy tv show with good actors. Overall I loved it.
One thing I didn't like about it is that it only has 6 episodes, before you know it the show is over but it was very good to me.. I look forward to seeing a season 2.
The first episode actually caught me by surprised.. and although it may seem slow paced at times, it adds to the world building because you may have never heard of this pantheon of gods.. It's very cultural, it's nice to see an African fantasy tv show with good actors. Overall I loved it.
One thing I didn't like about it is that it only has 6 episodes, before you know it the show is over but it was very good to me.. I look forward to seeing a season 2.
Deserves a Second Season
annebouscal30 October 2022
It's great to see a fantasy that draws on people and culture from South Africa instead of DC, Marvel, Star Wars, or video game. It's not that there's anything wrong with those, it's just that the formulas and over-the-top effects are don't improve the final product. I enjoyed watching the Brave Ones during the course of some days rather than just binging it.
I wish the episodes had been longer than the 35 minutes or so which were allotted so that the characters could develop a little more depth. Solid acting with credible emotional content. Although not totally original, the mythological backdrop was a pleasant change from the more classical mythology I studied in school and which keeps the formula fantasy blockbusters in production.
I hope the show is picked up for a second season, and not just to resolve the surprise ending.
I wish the episodes had been longer than the 35 minutes or so which were allotted so that the characters could develop a little more depth. Solid acting with credible emotional content. Although not totally original, the mythological backdrop was a pleasant change from the more classical mythology I studied in school and which keeps the formula fantasy blockbusters in production.
I hope the show is picked up for a second season, and not just to resolve the surprise ending.
This will be great
jaimeandujar-3692020 September 2022
I loved it . I think people are used to billion dollar cgi n Avengers stuff . The story led that suspense they did not give away too much . I say give its course . How many shows started n we kinda said eh but kept watching Zombies lol. I believe the team of writers and actors wil definately grow more . Develop more . I have seen shows that people praise and cant sit 15 minutes . I know there is alot the writers and producers and actors have not even hit yet . I have never seen any Shows or Movies that have tapped into African Mytholgy . I am a Santero that derives from the Yoruba so this made me even more excited . Great job !
EDITING TEAM SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pdbk-1021918 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Okay let me start with the positives. The concept is great. Young girl who unbeknownst to her has great power bestowed unto her by the ancestors/spirits/great tree. This is a story as old as time. Add the Wonder Woman bracelets and you have a classic! The actors are all veterans or rather veterans in the making, with Tony Kgoroge as the bad guy, you know he's going to be great coz he played one of the bad guys in hotel rewanda. The character who plays Ntsiki is a powerhouse, showcasing her range every chance she gets! This show is destined for greatness!!!
Now the negatives: There is only one.
EDITING!!!!!
DEATH: Death falls flat.
The role of the sister in Ntsiki's life was rushed making it difficult to understand why Ntsiki cried when he sister died. It was clearly a plot device meant to motivate Ntsiki into embracing her powers but because editing focused on building a relationship with the boyfriend, his anger was justified.
In some cases you cant follow the story coz the story goes from one plot point to another. Like the scenes where Ntsiki's father dies and Ntsiki burning in the car. I can tell they were trying scene hoping but it was unnecessary and made it so the imvestment in the fathers death was at an all time zero. Its clear the father had a bigger role but that was not really established and the death of the father fell flat.
Character development: This aspect was super rushed! As if it was weighed against the dramatic aspects of the storyline and drama won. Episode 1, introduce the characters, episode 2 introduce the location, episode 3 till 4 you give us more details(history of the characters while introducing us to why the are in that location) then episode 5 and 6 you end the character of each character. And the twist that the are more who have powers is at the end of the last episode not in the middle. The sangoma shows her motivations for power in episodes 3 and 4 during the details section of character development not in the end. I mean at that point, Ntsiki dying meant nothing coz she had died in the previous episode (episode 5) but the fact that the spear belongs to the guy (Ntsiki's sister's boyfriend's). Another thing, when you put focus on the characters instead of drama, you have more memorable characters.
The Villain: Who was the Villain?
The wife or Tony's character or both? Or Nkomo, or Nkomo's son?
Stick to one over arching villain amd everyone else is an underling. It would have been fun to find out that Ayanda was the one pulling the strings, she was the one who forced her husband to choose langa township because the sangoma she had being seeing told her to dig there but because she didnt have the resources, she pushed her husband to dig there. Also she knew about his cheating but still stayed because she needed hia construction company. He thought he was the one with power but no, it was Ayandas plan all along! Ayanda is defeated but the female sangoma's aspirations for power have been realized as she finds the spear and then we realize that there are more people with powers, fade to black, season 2 is set up. But nooooooooo! You decide to kill Ntsiki again! Like why?
SCENE DEVELOPMENT: Time lapses differently in this show, one moment tony is walking in the corridors of his offices in a maroon suit, next minute his sitting down in a green suit. So its the next day? No people! Come one!
The reveal that the guy in the scooter could have been done better!
Scene 1: he's at home doing his thing Scene 2: he decides to leave the house, he walks out, transition to scene 3; Scene 3: the bar scene, we hear a motorcycle in the distance, this peaks his interest, he runs out, sees the motorcycle and gives chase!
Scene 4: he arrives at the location and the guy in the motorcycle is dun dun dun dunnnnn! The bad guy!
Simple, not "here's the motorcycle, it was me, arrive at the location, reveal again that its him but this time to the protagonist!" Like no!!!
Then you make that antagonist useless and you kill him but you dont even do it in such a way that exposes the protagonist's powers!
Do you now see the ultimate power of editing!
This show is great! I loved the story and what it was trying to do but because I know the power of editing, I gave it a 9/10 coz I understood you were failed by editing.
Oh and they didnt even bury COUNSELOR NKOMO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now the negatives: There is only one.
EDITING!!!!!
DEATH: Death falls flat.
The role of the sister in Ntsiki's life was rushed making it difficult to understand why Ntsiki cried when he sister died. It was clearly a plot device meant to motivate Ntsiki into embracing her powers but because editing focused on building a relationship with the boyfriend, his anger was justified.
In some cases you cant follow the story coz the story goes from one plot point to another. Like the scenes where Ntsiki's father dies and Ntsiki burning in the car. I can tell they were trying scene hoping but it was unnecessary and made it so the imvestment in the fathers death was at an all time zero. Its clear the father had a bigger role but that was not really established and the death of the father fell flat.
Character development: This aspect was super rushed! As if it was weighed against the dramatic aspects of the storyline and drama won. Episode 1, introduce the characters, episode 2 introduce the location, episode 3 till 4 you give us more details(history of the characters while introducing us to why the are in that location) then episode 5 and 6 you end the character of each character. And the twist that the are more who have powers is at the end of the last episode not in the middle. The sangoma shows her motivations for power in episodes 3 and 4 during the details section of character development not in the end. I mean at that point, Ntsiki dying meant nothing coz she had died in the previous episode (episode 5) but the fact that the spear belongs to the guy (Ntsiki's sister's boyfriend's). Another thing, when you put focus on the characters instead of drama, you have more memorable characters.
The Villain: Who was the Villain?
The wife or Tony's character or both? Or Nkomo, or Nkomo's son?
Stick to one over arching villain amd everyone else is an underling. It would have been fun to find out that Ayanda was the one pulling the strings, she was the one who forced her husband to choose langa township because the sangoma she had being seeing told her to dig there but because she didnt have the resources, she pushed her husband to dig there. Also she knew about his cheating but still stayed because she needed hia construction company. He thought he was the one with power but no, it was Ayandas plan all along! Ayanda is defeated but the female sangoma's aspirations for power have been realized as she finds the spear and then we realize that there are more people with powers, fade to black, season 2 is set up. But nooooooooo! You decide to kill Ntsiki again! Like why?
SCENE DEVELOPMENT: Time lapses differently in this show, one moment tony is walking in the corridors of his offices in a maroon suit, next minute his sitting down in a green suit. So its the next day? No people! Come one!
The reveal that the guy in the scooter could have been done better!
Scene 1: he's at home doing his thing Scene 2: he decides to leave the house, he walks out, transition to scene 3; Scene 3: the bar scene, we hear a motorcycle in the distance, this peaks his interest, he runs out, sees the motorcycle and gives chase!
Scene 4: he arrives at the location and the guy in the motorcycle is dun dun dun dunnnnn! The bad guy!
Simple, not "here's the motorcycle, it was me, arrive at the location, reveal again that its him but this time to the protagonist!" Like no!!!
Then you make that antagonist useless and you kill him but you dont even do it in such a way that exposes the protagonist's powers!
Do you now see the ultimate power of editing!
This show is great! I loved the story and what it was trying to do but because I know the power of editing, I gave it a 9/10 coz I understood you were failed by editing.
Oh and they didnt even bury COUNSELOR NKOMO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Entertaining.
solomon112120 October 2022
Don't understand the harsh reviews. Most of them seem to be about not meeting people's expectations for special effects. Not every filmmaker has a billion dollar budget. Kind of reflects how entitled and shallow audiences have become, valuing special effects over an entertaining storyline. Some reviewers also complained about subpar acting, another criticism I failed to see. Series ended with potential for another season, which I hope they do. Not perfect, but if entertainment is your goal, don't let the more negative reviews keep you from giving it a try. You might find yourself getting reeled in.
LOVED IT!!!LOVED IT!!!LOVED IT!!!
greygalaxy20 September 2022
From the story line to the animation to the characters, this puts South African filmmaking on a whole new level, I would recommend it for anyone who is spiritually gifted, despite it being fictional there's a lot to be learnt from it. You just have to be wise and have an open mind. It tells a great story about Love, Spiritual gifts (singing/making music is a Spiritual gift too, keep that in mind), African roots with a pinch of everything you want in a superhero watch, psycho path villains, rogue heros and heartfelt backstories. Season 1 of The Brave Ones got me binge watching from episode 1 to 6. Thank you to the creators finally Africa has an authentic superhero.
Super serie
rgff-6022521 September 2022
Loved it. Great balance between fantastic and human life history. The main character is super well acted in all his aspects with natural and credibility of a young woman facing true distress and deep mystery. Impresives scenes with the group of whom keep faith in the ancient traditions and interesting roles of bad guys who are not so bad. Really good work hope a quick s2 of the serie to go again in this so particular world full of kindness and mystery. Would be a shame to stop it as Netflix used to do a lot these last years, leaving us with a bad sensation of unfinished history when it's obvious that there is still a lot to count,
Wasted potential
rinneamarianne23 September 2022
The writing for this was awful. Felt really rushed even though the story had potential. Nsiki was just plain old annoying through out and so was the brother in law. There was a lot of plot holes that just didn't make sense. I wished it wasn't so rushed. Often times when it comes to African fantasy I love to see the incorporation of traditional with modern but alas this show falls short of any great achievement besides its potential. When Ntsiki friend called her by name and she said "no I'm the brave one" I just cringed. I mean did the lines have to be so cringey. This tv show had so much potential too. Tsk tsk tsk. So disappointed, I wish they could re do it but give it to the Koreans then it would be good. Maybe they should take some lessons from Korean screen writers.
When you see 10x 1 Stars vs 10 star for an African show, you know why
oberlanderrg23 September 2022
This isn't a perfect TV show but it has a really solid lead, a very talented ensemble, the mythology is fresh and unique and I enjoyed the pacing (a la Daredevil S1). Could they linger over more impactful scenes a bit longer to enhance the effect? Could they not cut-scene their way through grief and impact and time-progression? Sure. But that's the only fault. It's face paced, and admittedly the tenor of the original script doesn't always have a simple impact with a direct translation, but it's a good freaking show, it's well shot, the environments and culture and stories it tells are unique, so give it a chance and enjoy.
AWESOME SERIES!!! LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!!
vickiebj24 September 2022
This series is so good I hope Netflix keeps and brings future shows! I want more I watched all 6 of these in one sitting. This has such intriguing and interesting characters. Very mystical and illuminating. It gave me everything I was looking for and more. I truly can't believe how out of this world it is. They leave us at this weird cliff hanger. We definitely need more because it plays out just like how things work here in our world where you never know who you can trust or not. Everyone has an agenda and there is always a plot twist. I am shocked and bewildered... The ending is confusing though so hopefully they will tie part in a bow because I need the Brave One to be alive to help the people.
The Best Story Ever Told
mblanks-9524423 October 2022
Netflix has a problrm with canceling great shows. This Show is one of them. Bring it back and give it the justice that is so deserves. The story needs to be told. I invested my heart and time. Netflix needs to know that just because it is cultural film does not mean that we are not wathing because we are. Bring this and other like it back. And if netflix still decides that it isn't deserving of their time, then I hope like hell someone sees this and brings it back to life. The characters are wonderful and the acting is superb. The story line is perfect. It need a ner home for us to relish in..
Beautiful, loved it, Thank you South Africa!
thomasbrettkane27 September 2022
This is a lovely piece of work, and full of heart. The key characters move into an eerie territory - it's not Wakanda, it's not South Africa, it's not Kansas - but it is a mystical Africa that is a great thrill to visit. I didn't see any cliches in this - at some points the story moved a little quickly, but I guess that's inevitable with only 6 episodes and every single character on a development arc.
They are all great, but Sthandile Nkosi really stands out. She plays a big range of young women, she goes through a lot of emotional upheaval and growth. That said, I loved the whole cast and how they closed in with each other to tell a big story... Loving it... Ubuntu and the gods and the tree of life.
Dear Netflix, we really need more of this... Please make sure these film-makers are rewarded and new stories come from the great and beautiful South Africa. Respect.
They are all great, but Sthandile Nkosi really stands out. She plays a big range of young women, she goes through a lot of emotional upheaval and growth. That said, I loved the whole cast and how they closed in with each other to tell a big story... Loving it... Ubuntu and the gods and the tree of life.
Dear Netflix, we really need more of this... Please make sure these film-makers are rewarded and new stories come from the great and beautiful South Africa. Respect.
BRILLIANT SERIES!!!!!!! 💎💎💎💎💎💎💎
vincentmati31 October 2022
Must be one of - if not the BEST South African series I've ever seen. Most definitely looking forward to seeing SEASON TWO and the 100s more to come. Nangona ndibona abantu base Mzansi bethetha kakubi ngale series, I still believe ukuthi ayikho engcono sakhe yenziwa apha. The people with the negative reviews are probably more comfortable with the IMPORTED entertainment. LOCAL IS LEKKER!!! The Brave Ones is the best series to come out of RSA, I wish all the best to the writers and the cast. Props must be given where they are due, the cast and production team, outdid themselves!!! #RSA #ProudlySouthAfrica.
Great story line!
shane-whitecloud12 October 2022
I love all the traditional essence! Great storyline that could be cultivated more for the big screen. I can't find anything about the lead actress, though. She's really good! I would love to see more of her work. The cast are all beautiful, too. Set designs were really well done and the director has a great eye for shot placement. There are some gorgeous sites in Africa that are highlighted in this series. The lead "villain" could be a body double for Wesley Snipes, too. He's a dead ringer. Turn off the subtitles because they sometimes don't say the same thing and you'll catch yourself reading more than enjoying the show. Can't wait for season 2!
See also
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