The opening scene of Jozi Kings informs us that Chucks (Anele Beke) is a Nigerian Immigrant who just arrived in Johannesburg, whether he was planning to stay or just on a business trip we would never know, all we know is he arrives at the airport, he gets picked up by a cabdriver who also works for a gang of muggers from the ghetto neighborhood in Johannesburg. We see Chucks trying to run away from people trying to take advantage of him and or kill him and that is basically what he'll do for the whole movie. How and why? Is for you to find out.  For a newly arrived immigrant in a foreign land with no money, friends and relatives, that is scary and make someone vulnerable.  Chuck has no money and no place to stay, after selling his passport for 500 Rands and having that money stolen again from him by the same people who put him in this situation in the first place, drug dealing in cocaine gives him the illusion of hope for a better tomorrow. For Chucks the choice seems simple at first he can get a job and make a honest living or he can work for an organized crime and have the Jozi dream, nice cars, big homes and of course cash is king in Jozi Kings. If you noticed I never mentioned ladies, and that is because Chucks is a different kind of a drug dealer he has never been so kin on ladies, the only lady in is life is Portia, whom he saved from hanging herself after she gets violated and impregnated by her uncle.

For the guys who understands the street language, Portia became the "Ride or Die Chick" for Chucks. Jim Money (Prince E. Osuchukwu) explains to him that there are two groups of people, The Preacher and The King. The former are lawyers, doctors and professors and the later are the street hustlers and drug dealers.

The characters in Jozi King are impressive, they behave exactly the way we expect them to. Justice Umeh, Aneke Beke and their team have created a gallery of specific individuals and one of the fascinations of Jozi Kings is that we aren't watching crime story cliché, we are watching people who are criminals. They also have a gallery of wonderful supporting performances: Prince E. Osuchukwu as Jim Money, the friend who introduces Chucks to the drug trade,  Itumeleng Lobelo (Thabo), Sadisine Ncongo (Porta) who was saved from hanging herself by Chucks, Sibusiso Tshangase (Mongezi), Tames Onwukaike (Jerome), he is always mellow and takes things as they come and you will get to see his true color in this movie, Mike (Chief) and Chantelle Maphanga (Maureen) ______________________________________________________

Verdict: Most thrillers use interchangeable characters and most gangster movies are more interested in actions than personality, but Jozi Kings is one of those special movies that is willing to take a flawed and evil man as Chucks who is a king pin drug dealer and allow him to be human. Jozi Kings sees its criminal so clearly as a person with a popular product to sell in a society populated by some individuals who are ready to buy. Aneke Beke does not make Chucks into a sympathetic character, even though you kind of feel sorry for him for been unlucky in all his moves, but he does make him into somebody we can identify with in a horrified way, if only because of his perfectly understandable motivations. Wouldn't we all like to be rich, live in a mansion and be catered to and not have to work too hard or at all? Well yeah, now that you agreed with that statement, dealing drugs offers Chuck the possibility of such a lifestyle even if he has to sell his soul to the devil. For a minute I thought I was watching an American TV drama NYPD Blue, Yes the movie Jozi Kings is that good. Jozi Kings have strong adult, drug and violent content so I would recommend it to people over 18. The messages in Jozi Kings are simple "never trust a man who uses his own product" and always watch for those you call friends.

Can Jozi Kings, a movie written, screenplay by Justice Umeh, produced by Aneke Beke in conjunction with Jamie Ramsay and directed by Justice Umeh and John Boyton Lee  win awards? Sure.



This is a very nice movie from Nollywood South Africa. I strongly recommend you see it. Now showing across Nigeria by Nollywood Cinema.

BUY IT when it comes out on DVD you will not be sorry.

Critics’ Recommendation: BUY IT {NC 3 1/2 R}

Jozi Kings movie is nominated for the best action film and the best screenplay at the forthcoming 2011 Nollywood Africa Film Critics Awards USA

Dr. Victor O. Olatoye