Lumumba

A Belgian colony for 75 years, the African Congo won its independence in 1960, with 36-year-old nationalist Patrice Lumumba named as the first head of government. Based on a true story, Raoul Peck's Lumumba attempts to dramatize the events leading up to Lumumba's rule (which would only last months) in a tale told in flashback after his execution. But the operative word here is “attempts”; while the film is technically competent, the drama is sadly lacking in this functional delineation of history. Political speeches, civil unrest, and instances of military suppression abound, but fully realized characters are missing in action, making this reenacted history lesson a fair choice for political science curricula dealing with Africa, but not for entertainment-oriented collections. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include five excerpts from director Raoul Peck's 1991 documentary Lumumba: Death of a Prophet, text story and production notes, brief biographies (for costars Eriq Ebouaney and Alex Descas, director Raoul Peck, and late cinematographer Bernard Lutic), the text segments "The Congo: A Brief History," and "A Congolese Chronology" and a trailer. Bottom line: a very nice extras package for a film that divided critics.] (T. Rich)