Jerusalema

"Welcome to the promised land."

Aug 29 2008 R 1h 59m
Action, Crime, Drama

This South African movie tracks the rise of a once-petty criminal to the heights of the criminal underworld. After cutting his teeth on hijacking, before moving onto bigger game, an ambitious man hits a setback when most of his gang are shot.

Plot

Starting off with simple smash-and-grabs and petty crime, Lucky Kunene quickly graduates to more aggressive heists such as armed robbery and carjacking. He soon realizes that he needs a bigger score to fulfill his goals of making it big and escaping from the slums to a dream house by the sea. He hatches an elaborate, violent plan to make his fortune: hijacking buildings from Johannesburg-tenement landlords by winning the tenants' favor, then holding their rent hostage from the landowners. His high-profile real estate acquisitions attract the attention of the local police force, who has qualms about using unprovoked brutality to bring him down. His trouble with the law, coupled with an escalating war between a local drug lord, creates a tense standoff: both sides are closing in, and Kunene must stay one step ahead--or his empire, and his life, will come crashing down.

Written by

Ralph Ziman

Directed by

Ralph Ziman

Production Countries

South Africa

Production Companies

Muti Films

Languages

Afrikaans, English

Awards

6 wins & 1 nomination

Scores
# of Votes
11,107
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
53
Popularity
NA