Reyka (2021– ) User Reviews

Starts well but let down by ridiculous plot holes

[andrew-612-761611 · 6/10 · 5 December 2021]

Ok so you've been kidnapped for five years when you were a child and your kidnapper is wanting to be paroled. You visit him in jail because you still have a soft spot for him (daddy issues). He keeps saying that you all lived together and you have to keep reminding him that you were a prisoner!

How can anyone possible be considered for parole who doesn't acknowledge their crimes? I was waiting for someone to just ask him is he intending to kidnap some other child when he is released so that he can have a family again. Spoiler alert - he does!!!

disappointing

[eric-832-307986 · 5/10 · 18 November 2021]

Uneven story, that tries to hard and fails. Many aspects of the story do not make sense, which makes the series unbelievable. It could have been much better if the writing where better.

Failed to deliver...

[mwsmbngsimon · 5/10 · 2 January 2022]

I looked for this tv-show because it had a convincing trailer only to find out it was no where near as good as the trailer showed.

I arrived at 5 stars rating as follows;-

1. Visuals were okay! The color tone was a good choice as it gave you that sense of serial-killerness. Except for a few moments of shaky camera during action scenes! So in terms of visuals it scored 8/10 2. The dialogues was good! It was believable, the moments the characters argued you feel the intensity of the scenes! I thought the south-african accents were believable (tho amnt South-African). So again 8/10 for dialogues and monologues 3. Action-choreography. Its an action-thriller so i think its only fair if you rate the action scenes. The nothing special for the few action scenes in this movie. They didnt impress and yet they didnt dissapoint. The gun shots sounded okay and believable. Ratings here is 5/10 as in they were torelable.

MAJOR SET-BACKS 4. The Plot which i rated 2/10. They came up with good story for this thriller as in serial-killer pursuit by a policewoman who mental trauma for childhood abduction and abuse has nice punch in it.

• But ohh boy! Did the fail to deliver! The plot had so many plotholes that couldnt be ignored which made story ubelievable. To mention a few:-

* bad guys appeared out of nowhere for conviniency of the plot.

* the main antagonist( the serial killer) wasnt not smart enough to have lasted that long on the loose. I mean for gods sake! He was a well known person who picked up his victims out in the open ( The village market). One eye witness was enough to point our that the victim who died was last seen with a certain person * Reyka retracted her statement to free Speelman without knowing the adress he was being released to. As in seriously! They want to believe that she was kidnapped and lived in that farm house all those years later became a police and the she didnt know where she was kept. In the last episode her daughter is kidnapped to the same location. And she had to ask around to get the location.

* the police chief was running a snitch( who later turned to be a serial-killer) without knowing where he lived. Smh! So thats how dumb police are!

* Reyka was placed undercover in the final mission to set up a honey trap for a person who already knows she is police (this had me laughing) * A serial killer who has been describe as smart and educated in the final episode kidnaps Reyka and holds her at his won house which could be easily traced (shocking)

5. Characters and acting, my rating is 3.

* Only Reyka had enough character development. Other characters including the main protagonist felt they just came up. The other police she worked including the police chief didnt have homes, the only life we were showed is their terrible policing!

* the serial killer who we didnt known throught out the show, who were led to believe that he was educated, smart and a charmer when he is finally revealed looked nothing like that description!

* Were these police not trained for anything! They looked liked they picked at random in the streets and given badges. They got themselves locked in stupid situations very often, the policewoman who was murdered when she was undercover she looked scared, she was easily pursuaded to go into the plantions while she was aware of present and clear danger.

Awful. Positive reviews are all by one person

[random-70778 · 7 October 2021]

107 out of the 124 ratings are from single use accounts whos sole IMDB activity is uprating this series with a ten.

Four of the five reviews are clearly from a single individual giving this a ten and a gushing similar wording.

So the legit rating for this series is more on the order of 3.5

Now to the review. A fair amount of good entertainment production is coming out of south Africa. Certainly "Troy: fall of a city" was well done, and had some very talented acting. And the lead of this, Ian Glenn, is a good actor.

That said this series is stunningly cliche filled and predictable. It is also preachy. I give it a 3/10/

Good but it was quite slow and two episodes too long

[bevowen · 7/10 · 29 April 2022]

I binge watched this series under the name The Cane Killing Fields in the UK. It was a bit hard to follow at first as it was a slow burner. The series has some really good acting and it is hard hitting with a lot of gruesome murders. In my view it is about 2 episodes too long.... I also didn't understand some of the storyline as it wasn't explained.... Angus tells Portia they are grandparents but the child is too young to be as he has been in prison 22 years. In some scenes the 'granddaughter is talking to her dad on the phone but Angus is in prison so it is all weird, and I assume Angus is just mad! Also what happened to Nandi, did she die? That wasn't explained either.

A really good ending and it was a g good series if you don't mind some plot holes in the story.

FANTASTIC

[vilhelmhasselgren · 7/10 · 9 August 2023]

Had such an AMAZING time watching this serie . Totally nerv wrecking , psycological and beautiful at the same time. Love it, so nice to see south africa aswell , but there is a problem . I dont know what the serie will be about in the second season as everything was sorted out in this season it feels lik . But who whats for something good cant wait long enough :) Thank you Kim and the directors for the fantastic viewing. IMO this is a really strong 7/10. Could be an 8 but there was some misses i feel like they could have done better actually.

I have to make this review atleas 700 words so this is just filing sentence.

Thanks.

Dark Serial Killer Drama

[Pairic · 8/10 · 18 April 2022]

The Cane Field Killings: South African crime drama. Reyka who was herself abducted as a child in 1994 and held for 4 years is now (in 2021) a profiler who tracks down serial killers. Her latest case is complicated by a land deal between a white farmer and a local Zulu chief. Her boss wants a quick resolution blaming hitmen but Reyka is unconvinced. All seven victims are young women, they have been dismembered. Witchcraft, traditional power systems, corruption, all feed in to this narrative as does Reyka's troubled personal and her confrontations with her abductor who is seeking parole. Switches between the present and Reyka's time in captivity, Great performance by Kim Engelbert as Reyka and Iain Glen as Speelman, her abductor, Dark, violent, gruesome, very effective and engaging thriller series. Created by Rohan Dickson 8/10.

Enjoyable but not because of the plot

[drmaf17 · 7/10 · 28 April 2022]

I'm only halfway through but enjoying it, not because of the plot but because the tension between the cops and the tribespeople seems so real, its not like a contrived thing you see in American cop shows, the scene where they went to arrest the crime boss and his henchmen appeared with AK-47s could have been so cliched but I really felt you could cut the tension with a knife. The plot is nothing to write home about but the lead actress is good, hope to see more of her.

Window on the world

[lisbethinsydney · 8/10 · 25 December 2021]

Extraordinary, since we hardly see any TV made in South Africa; compellingly acted, written and directed, taking most of us into a whole new world where everyone's skin colour and/or tribe is noted. I was fascinated by all aspects of this drama series. The psychological complexities are well beyond standard crime thrillers, making this series uncomfortable for those used to two dimensional thinking. Everyone is human and thus, flawed.

Reyka is neither virtuous nor admirable...

[canuckteach · 7/10 · 23 January 2024]

...But we are stuck with her! Reyka is single-mom and profiling detective in racially-divided S. African setting, which was a fresh one for me.

She is stubborn and reckless, but her profiling skills are decent and the force is chasing a serial killer who operates in these colossal cane fields. There is another plot line involving a guy who abducted her as a young teen. She escaped after a few years and the culprit was locked up. Nearing parole, he continues to try to insert himself into her life-and Reyka displays poor character by not rejecting his plots. (This continues into Season 2, after Reyka stumbles into arresting the Season 1 criminal).

Season 2, Reyka does 3 questionable things: 1) she dates a married colleague 2) she chases a dangerous LOVER LANE killer, passes up an easy shot to disable him in flight, and then dives into the seaside at a wharf to arrest him (bad idea-how do arrest a larger man, no cuffs or life preserver? 'Hey you, Under Arrest!! Swim back to shore with me right NOW!!).

3) she relents and allows a small-time hooker to keep her endangered teen daughter

This is evidence of poor or very under-researched scriptwriting. However, I will finish season 2 as Reyka has an 'everyman' appeal: she is TRYING to do the right thing, but she makes dumb choices, (almost) like we do! I hope she catches this miserable killer who preys on couples in Lovers Lane.

Letdown

[ravivenkitaraman · 4/10 · 22 November 2021]

I was one of those who was able to review a preview of the show (which corresponded, roughly, to Episode 1). I was impressed by the local flavor (South Africa!) and the opportunity to get an insightful look inside a Zulu community. In addition, the plot seemed promising (serial killer!) and the characters interesting.

Alas, everything only flattered to deceive. The show goes downhill quickly and flatlines into trite themes, and the writing and direction don't help any.

Avoid this mess.

Don't get the bad reviews

[mslawandaintheloop · 8/10 · 9 September 2023]

I'm not sure why this series got so many poor reviews. It was suspenseful, unique, disturbing and overwhelming throughout. I felt like the only thing I felt was missing was her connect to her kidnapper that would make her a good detective or ask him about cases. I guess I missed that or they didn't tell it otherwise I enjoyed it. I loved seeing many of the African actors from other shows, I believe the acting was very good. The blending of tribal language and ways were easy to follow and place at the times if felt genuine. I'm not sure if they plan a series 2 but a show from this writer is one I would watch again.

Great production, fine acting. Preposterous story.

[stuit · 4/10 · 24 November 2021]

The first hour of this series showed so much promise. The acting is incredible and the production is excellent. Alas, the story in this serious just gets more and more absurd as it progresses. The main character openly congregates with her imprisoned abductor and abuser while police co-workers and family merely frown at it. Violent mobs materialize out of nowhere whenever it serves the storyline. The only stable, competent, and uncorrupt police officers are pushed to the fringes or killed off.

...and in the last hour all of the storylines are wrapped up using details that were never hinted at earlier in the story. The whole thing winds down into a pulp detective novel.

More Psychologically Insightful than Mysterious

[sucarl2004 · 8/10 · 3 December 2021]

Refreshing to see something from South Africa. For myself that knows next to nothing of the Peoples and Customs it was an informative change from the usual UK fare. The story is a look at what might happen when a young girl is abducted by an extremely twisted couple who want a "Family" with benefits. The trauma that affects the characters involved is very real if not often misunderstood. Added to this is a number of other stories including the hunt for a gruesome serial killer, murders and chaos, Tribal politics and land reformation. Pay close attention to the characters who are very complex and can confuse you at times.

Interesting and different!

[Space_Girl84 · 8/10 · 8 February 2022]

I liked this show a lot. I'm surprised by the poor reviews. It was interesting right from the first episode. Keeps you guessing and it is not "cheesy" at all. Very good acting. Also, I love the South African accent so that's a bonus to hear! You won't be disappointed.

i thought it was going to be interesting...

[ash31n · 3/10 · 24 November 2021]

I didn't have much expectations going in. I just thought it could be interesting. Something different from the agendas Hollywood is pushing nowadays. I just want to be entertained.

Well, this is not it, not for me at least. The drama felt forced, unrealistic, somewhat over the top. A lot of things that don't make sense. The close up camerawork is very annoying...always the same look too. The pacing is off too. Nothing works for me here.

I stopped watching somewhere on the 2nd episode, when a shooter shot a cop, reyka shouts the cop's name and rushes to him. The assailant magically didn't shoot at her, just waiting there. The downed cop utters her name, Reyka... and now she exchanges fire and kills the assailant. Wow! So realistic! Not cliche at all. Oh, she also single handedly found the bodies in the field, no partner, just her and a dog. I am pretty sure she is superwoman and the men here are idiots

It could have been so much better. Such a waste.

A gripping story

[tay-sedai · 9/10 · 7 October 2021]

I just finished watching this show tonight, and first off I want to note that I LOVED the soundtrack. I need to find out what tracks are on the soundtrack but can't seem to find any info about it anywhere. Hopefully I'll figure it out eventually!

Secondly, the show itself was mesmerising - with an intriguing, harrowing series of storylines running parallel to each other. The landscapes of South Africa (a place I haven't visited yet) were stunning, but the main setting for the drama (the cane fields) was haunting, mysterious, and hid plenty of dark secrets.

The story of Reyka and Angus was a perfect example of that of a master manipulator attempting to pull his victim back into his web, even though years have passed since they last saw each other. He was trying until the very end, but him involving her daughter in the whole mess didn't go the way he'd thought it would.

I felt that all the actors did amazing jobs, the cinematography was breathtaking, each episode ended with a cliffhanger that kept me eager to watch more, and as I mentioned, the soundtrack was perfect. I'm still left with some questions, but that could be because I missed obvious things that would have given me answers. For instance, was the Lucy we met in the flesh actually Lucy, or was she a faux Lucy? How was Angus planning to take Reyka along for the ride?

If you are a fan of creepy murder mysteries/other mysteries, then I recommend this show for sure.

I gave it 3 stars - and that was generous!

[namsohanta · 3/10 · 28 June 2023]

My main problem with this is that the main actor Kim Engelbrecht cannot act to save her life. She is totally unconvincing in her roles as an abuse victim and her role as a detective. She seems to feel it necessary to cry at every opportunity, often unnecessarily, as if this makes her a better actor. No it's unconvincing, and honestly cringeworthy. She cries 3 / 4 times in every episode. Why?!

Her relationship with her abuser is pathetic which goes against the tough cop she tries hard to portray. She speaks ridiculously fast, again unnecessary as if she's trying to pass off as an intelligent fast thinker. She alone spoils the entire series. Watch something else, preferably something without her in it.

Worth a watch - especially if you are South African!

[michelle-righini · 9/10 · 2 May 2022]

Not sure what the people with negative reviews were watching. Yes it's a bit slow in places, but it is so atmospheric and it feels really accurate. The portrayal of the relationships between the tribes and police it's bang on. Yes it's an ugly show in parts, but that adds to the realism in my opinion. Watch it and make your own judgement - it's brilliantly acted and it keeps you guessing.

Kim is superb!

[mr-cpicasso · 10/10 · 27 November 2021]

I've followed Kim's career and her role as the title character is simply superb! Her way of acting of someone with mental struggles with emotional distress is amazingly convincing.

She is by far an underrated gem, she deserves all praise as an artist. Look out for her!

Spare me from traumatised cops

[davek28 · 4/10 · 12 August 2022]

Episode 1 - set in South Africa, attractive but psychologically disturbed female police profiler who was kidnapped as a child and until recently was an alcoholic. Her kidnapper is due for release after twenty years in the nick. She has a daughter around the same age as she was when she was kidnapped. She visits her kidnapper in jail and displays an odd affection for him. As a result of the visit, she falls off the wagon and lets down her daughter by not turning up at her school performance. Yet she's trying to get official sole custody of her daughter.

Nice scenery. Good acting. Hackneyed main character. Do I care what this utter mess of a police profiler does next? No. Will I be watching episode 2? No. I'm so fed up of police people who can barely concentrate enough to do their job because of some past trauma. From now on they're on their own. I have zero sympathy for their dysfunctional existence.

Storytelling at its best

[mikekanesmith · 9/10 · 23 September 2021]

Well-researched window into a unique time in South Africa's testing political history and unique landscape of the haunting cane fields of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The story balances a deep dive into the lead characters while weaving a thrilling story of serial murders, family, tribal and racial feuds and a disturbing history. The lead character is brilliantly played by Kim Engelbrecht. The writing is a masterclass.

South African Keystone Cops

[johnseegers · 2/10 · 17 April 2024]

This series would be good if it had: better writers, a coherent plot, better direction, an editor, a continuity minder and knew what it wanted to be. I'm sorry but this just doesn't quite work on any level. Nothing really developed enough to be of interest. The whole Silence of The Cane Fields thing just doesn't cut it. Ridiculous continuity errors. Missing makeup and prosthetics. Night and day in the same the scene. Choppy short edits. Seem likes this could have used about a half year of further development before shooting began. And they actually gave it a second season which I can assure you I won't be watching.

Fascinating!

[jady_bear · 8/10 · 28 November 2021]

Be prepared to pay attention and stay focused. Then buckle up and keep up!

Extensive use of flashbacks and multiple scenes with no dialogue contribute to the ongoing development of the primary characters.

The troll who hates

[sing2009 · 8/10 · 15 November 2021]

This was an interesting and entertaining show but judge for yourself. Don't let a trolls negativity stop or rob you of determining for yourself what's is good or not. Just remember there's always someone whose negativity for shows other people like ( and they probably never watched) is doing it for a very specific reason.