The Queenstown Kings Review: This heartwarmingly inspiring South African sports drama film has been directed and written by Jahmil XT Qubeka, with Clyde Berning co-authoring the screenplay. Releasing on Netflix on November 17, 2023, the Yellowstone Entertainment production stars Zolisa Xaluva as Buyile Mahamba and Likhona Mgali as his son, Fezile in the lead roles. Also starring, Unathi Faku, Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Tessa Twala, Thoko Ntshinga and others, the movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 17 minutes, and is available on the streamer in the original Xhosa language, and also with English dubbing and subtitles for international audiences.
Plot: Following his father’s death, Buyile, a washed-up football stars returns to his roots in rural Queenstown to reconnect with his family, primarily his son Fezile, yet another talented player aspiring to attain something bigger. The movie lightheartedly and affectionately brings alive the local game culture, while also highlighting the personal hardships met by the small-town players in their lives as they all seek to make it out of their rustic environs.
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The Queenstown Kings Netflix Review Contains No Spoilers
The Queenstown Kings Review
South African local football culture authentically recreated in this film instantly touches you with its vivid realism dealing out the picture of young boys and their humble lifestyles in the rustic background. Enter, Zolisa Xaluva’s Buyile, the man who made it out of the same place, pretty much what many youngsters in the rural setting wish to do too. However, Buyile, who’s now immersed himself into an unhealthy lifestyle by diving into alcoholism following his injuries, is not only the brink of being cut from his football club, but is also fully out of touch with his Queenstown roots, and more importantly his son.
While the backstory of the situation with Buyile leaving his son, Fezile, and getting married to a different woman, while Fezile’s mother, too, is in another relationship back in Queenstown, is not dug into much, the film does us a favour by putting out that info-dump, and focussing on other dramatical occurrences instead. While Buyile steps back to Queenstown, his return, too, is recorded on a dysfunctional note, so obviously, he isn’t welcomed back with open arms, but rather has to reinstate trust for himself among his people.
That way, the film balances his homecoming and character growth alongside dealing with his son’s coming-of-age chapter as he too realises his dreams and sense of belonging. And what further works in the favour of the film is that the casting choice, especially for the characters of Buyile and Fezile is on point.
As can be expected in such movies, especially by riding on the picture of how such a magnificent sport is dealt with at a local level, where everyone is struggling to make ends meet, the whole journey transpires into a family movie, with family themes constituting the coming together of the young team of players.
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Without going too dark, the film lightly touches upon issues like young pregnancy, lack of funds and resources, and addiction among the young crowd, but despite all those differences and setbacks, there’s a wholesome focus on unity among these very people who otherwise may emerge from separate backgrounds and lives. With this humanely grounded touch, The Queenstown Kings warmly eases you into its loving journey and leaves you feeling light as this beaming cinematic piece exuding hope shines bright in the OTT collection that is excessively loaded and suffocated with dark content.
Even if some characters initially come across as caricatures, you don’t mind seeing any of that because the storytelling weaves a narrative of togetherness, friendship, and teamwork, all of which is then centred around the paramount significance of having family by your side, a unit, that despite being dysfunctional, works its magic like a warm hug when the time is right. On top of that, what’s even praiseworthy is that, it’s not just through the young picture of Fezile that we get a tender look into the journey of self discovery, but even through Buyile, despite him being the grown up in this case.
Jahmil XT Qubeka’s camerawork commendably illustrates the realistic picture of the local scenario and the humble sense of belonging with it. The movie neither puts on an image of glamour, nor that of backwardness, and in that way, it steers clear of feeding into any rigid ideas of playing into stereotypes on either sides. Bringing up the colours of the local soil, the cinematography enlivens the soft-hearted connection with one’s home ground, and that too the fun way around as it also does bring up chaos many times.
The Queenstown Kings Netflix Movie: Final Thoughts
Chronicling yet another loveable underdog sports story, the South African Netflix catalogue sets foot into the heartwarmingly charming department and wins you over with its latest release. While familiarity can often reign in redundancy, this time, with The Queenstown Kings cast, the streamer brings up something that can be enjoyed without putting a lot of thought into it, especially considering how affectingly the characters and the overall plot are shaped. This is exactly the kind of movie you need after a long week’s work that’ll help you unwind and relax. Sports dramas like this always work their magic in uplifting your mood.
The Queenstown Kings is now streaming on Netflix.
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