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OUR RATING:
5/5 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
Set in the 1700s, Shaka iLembe tells the story of the making of the iconic African king, with iterations from his early childhood through to his adulthood.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
As a TV vehicle, Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic embodies all of the hallmarks of prestige television – combining meticulous attention to detail in this expansive world-building exercise with earnest and immersive method acting, beautiful cinematography devouring the flowing scenery, and the incorporation of a play of shadows and action, pacey script and judicious editing.
The two crucial aspects of sumptuous TV drama are both present and blend perfectly in the TV alchemy creation of Bomb Productions' sprawling Zulu drama series, created by Angus Gibson, Mpumelelo Grootboom, Desireé Markgraaff, Jacob Ntshangase and Catherine Stewart.
Shaka iLembe, a premium tour-de-force television series, got the money to do it right and employed high-calibre filmmaking skills to correctly translate the storyboards' vision into mesmerising live action on screen.
There's a reason why the choice of a luxury sedan interior drives up the cost quite a few thousand more since the finishing touches and immaculate detailing – from the leather stitching to the design – all work harmoniously to elevate the overall driving experience.
It's the same with MultiChoice's 12-episode Shaka iLembe with Nomzamo Mbatha, Gibson, Markgraaff and Nhlanhla Mtaka as co-executive producers, who created a resonant world with exuberant élan, populated by believable characters and personal motivations, and portrayed beautifully by a well-versed and talented cast of actors.
Written by Daniel Zimbler, Grootboom, Andrew Petersen, Ntshangase, Steve Pillemer, Benedict Carton, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Gibson, with production designer Dylan Lloyd and costume designer Sheli Masondo, the viewer gets to step inside an imagined world, both fantastical and ethereal, and yet at the same time, grounded in astute realism which is, at times, brutishly violent.
With the help of several historical and cultural consultants, the ascendant story of Shaka jumps to life with atmospheric twists and well-executed story and TV tropes reminiscent of everything, from The Lion King to the political backstabbing and intrigue of Game of Thrones' earlier seasons.
Framed by a second-person narrative technique like in Titanic and voiced by Hlonipha Mokoena – and telling Shaka's story with a historical, past-is-present perspective, incorporating astoundingly beautiful scenic shots and flowing cinematography – Shaka iLembe reaches for and represents a towering achievement in what's possible for South African filmmaking.
While the cinematic look feels American in scope with absolutely superb production values and is reminiscent of A River Runs Through It, Shaka iLembe is a thoroughly South African-made creation with a transcendent, inside-looking-out gaze about a ruler's perilous rise to power.
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