South African Movies Now on Netflix
Wondering which South African films are currently showing on Netflix? Whether you’re looking for some belly laughs on a road trip adventure with White Wedding, some touching father-son dramedy in Material or some full tilt heist thriller action in Silverton Siege… there’s something for everyone.
LAST UPDATED: 5 April 2024
Amandla
Plot: A gang-related crime puts two brothers’ commitment to one another to the test years after they survived a childhood tragedy.
Amandla is visually powerful, captivating, well-paced, promising, bold, taut and fascinating enough to keep audiences entertained, but ultimately could leave you scratching your head. ‘Amandla’ Movie Review…
Angeliena
Plot: Loosely based on a true story, Angeliena chronicles the exploits of a lovable eccentric hospital parking valet who longs to travel the globe.
In the search of love, hope, and faith, Angeliena embraces its vibrant, kitschy, and naïve vibrations with a feisty attitude. It’s a cute, amusing, colorful, and mildly delightful film, but it’s restricted by its own candy floss fantasies and fairy tale ambitions. ‘Angeliena’ Movie Review…
Big Nunu’s Little Heist
Plot: An ex-soldier who now works as a deliveryman is forced to join a kingpin’s dangerous heist.
Big Nunu’s Little Heist is a South African crime caper that tries to mix exciting action, quirky comedy and political intrigue. The humor is mostly subpar, the characters are one-dimensional and underdeveloped, and the stakes of the heist are never really felt. The film’s only saving grace is its vibrant style and local setting, which are not enough to make up for the film’s fundamental flaws. ‘Big Nunu’s Little Heist’ Movie Review…
Catching Feelings
Plot: A renowned and hedonistic older writer moves into the Johannesburg home of a young academic and his gorgeous wife, turning their lives upside down.
While Catching Feelings is a step up, leaning on its charming ensemble, it’s uncertainty rises to the surface, remaining entertaining, showing glimpses of its true potential yet struggling to find substance beyond its Woody Allen ambitions. ‘Catching Feelings’ Movie Review…
Chappie
Plot: Chappie, a police robot, is kidnapped and re-programmed by criminals who treat it as if it were their own child.
While it does not feel like Blomkamp’s original vision for the film, Chappie has enough raw entertainment value, perplexing detail, eclectic cool, unbridled passion, and pulpy substance to keep us interested. ‘Chappie’ Movie Review…
Collision
Plot: A security director comes to blows with a criminal when his only daughter is kidnapped.
Collision has an intriguing plot and an attractive cast, but this criminal drama thriller mainly sounds and looks the part but merely smolders without catching fire. ‘Collision’ Movie Review…
Do Your Worst
Plot: A struggling actor is confronted with the consequences of a lifetime of her own terrible actions.
While Do Your Worst has a decent film under its harsh shell, simply seeing glimpses is insufficient, making this an uncomfortable and choppy trip. ‘Do Your Worst’ Movie Review…
Dominee Tienie
Plot: Reverend Tienie Benade is at a fork in the road that will put his career, marriage, and faith to the test.
Dominee Tienie’s an unusual yet earnest production, propelled by a solid lead performance and propagated by an experienced ensemble. While authentic, sincere, and thought-provoking, this respectable character study runs a bit dry. ‘Dominee Tienie’ Movie Review…
Faith Like Potatoes
Plot: When a farmer on a spiritual quest, struggles to overcome natural disasters, and tragic personal loss, when he’s forced to relocate and start over.
Faith Like Potatoes is a rousing faith-based coming-of-age drama based on Angus Buchan’s book of the same name. A solid cast push through thinly scripted and stilted drama to inspire in this honest, emotionally-wrought yet modest production. A TV movie aimed at church-going audiences, Faith Like Potatoes is earnest and spirited enough to satisfy its target audience. ‘Faith Like Potatoes’ Movie Review…
Five Fingers for Marseilles
Plot: Twenty years after a cop killing, the disgraced Tau returns to Marseilles to discover the town is facing a new threat.
Five Fingers for Marseilles has some fantastic and truly terrifying villains and moves with style. The genre mash-up is inspiring, the performances are solid, the atmosphere is brooding, and the cinematography kicks up the ante on the western. ‘Five Fingers for Marseilles’ Movie Review…
Heart of the Hunter
Plot: An assassin is brought out of retirement to subvert a dangerous government conspiracy.
In spite of its flaws,
Heart of the Hunter emerges as a promising action flick, offering a gritty yet sleek, high-octane style reminiscent of 90s action thrillers. ‘Heart of the Hunter’ Movie Review…
I Am All Girls
Plot: In order to bring down a child sex trafficking organization, a special crimes detective forms a strange bond with a serial killer.
I Am All Girls has impact value, tackles weighty subjects, wrestles with an intriguing idea, boasts a talented cast and looks the part. Unfortunately, it has an ambitious, rushed and shallow narrative that stagnates and creates distance over time. ‘I Am All Girls’ Movie Review…
iNumber Number: Jozi Gold
Plot: A hot shot police officer goes undercover to investigate a gold theft in Johannesburg, which forces him to make a moral decision.
While flashy and lightweight, the heist thriller iNumber Number: Jozi Gold is entertaining, inventive, gritty, relentless and slick. ‘iNumber Number: Jozi Gold’ Movie Review…
Jewel
Plot: A photojournalist is drawn to a local woman while visiting a massacre memorial, a romance that stirs up bitter memories from their past.
Despite having a promising ensemble, a powder keg location, and some provocative topics, this drama becomes mishandled and messy. Jewel rushes to its conclusion, forced to lighten its load by whittling substance in the form of character complexity, potent messaging, and evocative themes. As far as entertainment goes, it’s far from unwatchable, but its sometimes contrived and rushed take wears thin. ‘Jewel’ Movie Review…
Journey to Grace: The Hansie Cronje Story
Plot: Based on Hansie Cronje’s life, a South African cricket legend who became involved in a match-fixing scandal that rocked the world.
Sports fans will recognize the concepts of heroism, tradition, honor, and pride in Journey to Grace: The Hansie Cronje Story, a faith-based sports biopic, that wrestles with themes around forgiveness, salvation, and upliftment. ‘Journey to Grace: The Hansie Cronje Story’ Movie Review…
Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu
Plot: Solomon Mahlangu, a schoolboy hawker from the Mamelodi township who witnessed the events of June 16th, joins the ANC military wing to fight against the cruel tyranny of the Apartheid state and ultimately becomes a symbol of South Africa’s independence.
Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu is a spirited, vivid and compelling portrait of Solomon Mahlangu. ‘Kalushi’ Movie Review…
Knuckle City
Plot: An aging, womanizing professional boxer and his career-criminal brother take one last shot at success.
A live-wire ensemble spur Knuckle City, an in-your-face, energetic, visceral and testosterone-fueled boxing crime thriller. ‘Knuckle City’ Movie Review…
Material
Plot: A young Muslim man whose love for stand-up comedy leads to conflict when his father expects him to take over the family business.
Material is a heartwarming, smart and ultimately crowdpleasing comedy drama, managing to tell a beautiful, deeply human story with such seemingly simple complexities. ‘Material’ Movie Review…
Mense van die Wind
Plot: Following the tragic death of his girlfriend, a singer-songwriter retreats to his family’s farm to overcome his grief, heal and reconnect.
Mense van die Wind (People of the Wind) is a touching, soul-searching coming-of-age music romance drama about a young man who returns to his roots to find peace, love and inspiration. An engaging, heartrending and nostalgic film, this is a promising and sensitively-handled feature film debut for writer-director, David Schröder with a self-assured lead performance from Armand Aucamp. ‘Mense van die Wind’ Movie Review
My Octopus Teacher
Plot: My Octopus Teacher is a nature documentary about a man’s unlikely and tender relationship with an octopus.
The concept of the documentary may appear strange at first, but the treatment, sincerity, and execution are emotive, fine-tuned, and breathtaking. It’s a touching and special film, with crisp visuals, never-before-seen nature footage, fascinating insights, heartfelt relationships, and a much larger symbolic story of conservation at the heart of it all. ‘My Octopus Teacher’ Movie Review…
Office Invasion
Plot: A trio of friends team up to protect their mining company from monstrous aliens out to loot and exterminate them.
While colourful, diverse and fun-loving, Office Invasion is a coarse and inconsistent Horrible Bosses meets Ghostbusters sci-fi comedy thriller hybrid, which is undermined by a half-baked script, a juvenile tone and lack of focus. ‘Office Invasion’ Movie Review…
Paradise Stop
Plot: Troubled husband and relocated investigator Potso and “well-to-do” businessman and truck stop owner Ben meet at Paradise Stop, a truck stop on the northern border connecting cargo-carrying 16-wheelers from South Africa to Zimbabwe.
Paradise Stop is over-ambitious, slow-to-start and constrained by unsure writing but makes for passable entertainment with interesting language interplay and some strong acting. ‘Paradise Stop’ Movie Review…
Raaiselkind
Plot: When a nine-year-old autistic boy is discovered dead in his bathtub, his mother is investigated for murder.
Raaiselkind is a brave, edgy and heartbreaking crime drama adaptation that serves as a challenging viewing experience, which while tonally imbalanced and framed by an investigation is buoyed by sincere performances and hard-hitting subject matter. ‘Raaiselkind’ Movie Review…
Runs in the Family
Plot: A washed-up conman embarks on a road trip to reunite with his estranged transgender child, all while facing ghosts from his past and a risky mission to break their ex out of rehab..
While modest, Runs in the Family is a colourful, entertaining, heartfelt and deeply human coming-of-age drama and road movie. ‘Runs in the Family’ Movie Review…
Santana
Plot: Two cop brothers decide to take down the drug cartel linked to the death of their parents.
Santana is an Angolan/South African co-production, a low-budget action movie that boasts a solid cast. While it cleverly switches locales for Elite Squad-style fun, if you look too closely – it’s Swiss cheese. ‘Santana’ Movie Review…
Seal Team
Plot: A seal recruits a fearless ragtag team of misfits to take on the dreaded sharks.
Seal Team is an entertaining, fun, wacky and retro escapist animated adventure with a stellar voice cast. ‘Seal Team’ Movie Review…
Sew the Winter to My Skin
Plot: A historical adventure drama about the legend of Samson of the Bosch, essentially a South African version of Robin Hood.
While meticulously crafted, it is difficult to immerse oneself in the characters’ secret lives in Sew the Winter to My Skin, undermining what could have been a masterpiece for Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. The visuals’ detail, nuance, and poetry, as well as the epic cross-country chase and political edge, are admirable, but they aren’t enough to overcome the drama’s stilted nature. ‘Sew the Winter to My Skin’ Movie Review…
Silverton Siege
Plot: Follows three freedom fighters who take refuge in a South African bank in Silverton only to kidnap the bank’s patrons and demand Nelson Mandela’s release.
Silverton Siege’s fictionalized situation lacks energy, simmers in the futility of a never-ending deadlock, and starts to run out of ideas despite being visually-arresting and intense at points. While the crime thriller starts off strong, it becomes bogged down too soon, losing momentum and failing to draw out its subplots’ full potential with the same vigor as its Dog Day Afternoon-style opening. ‘Silverton Siege’ Movie Review…
Sodium Day
Plot: A fractious day in the life of a matric class at a Cape Flats high school, just weeks before final exams.
Sodium Day may wield half-baked and uneven comedy drama, but entertains with timely themes, thought-provoking issues, familiar characters, and a sprawling cast. ‘Sodium Day’ Movie Review…
Stander
Plot: A man robs banks while working as a police captain in apartheid-era South Africa.
Stander is a pulpy, moody, breathless and entertaining devil-may-care biographical depiction of the life and times of Captain André Stander. ‘Stander’ Movie Review…
Sun Cry Moon (Skemerson)
Plot: Battling mental illness and suicidal thoughts, a young man meets two strangers on a bridge.
Sun Cry Moon, original title Skemerson is an atmospheric, unsettling and haunting art drama, which remains an important conversation-starter, dealing with mental health in an engaging narrative format. ‘Sun Cry Moon’ Movie Review…
Table Manners
Plot: Megan Tucker struggles to pick up the pieces after losing her husband, home and possessions.
Table Manners coasts on unrequited promises, proficient cinematography and the quality of its ingredients, struggling to be anything more than a cute and colourful distraction with a hopeful message. ‘Table Manners’ Movie Review…
Two Degrees of Murder
Plot: A renowned psychologist and author’s life is turned upside down when her loving husband is admitted to hospital for examination.
This ambitious drama looks and sounds the part, leveraging the talents of a strong cast against a technically competent feature film. Unfortunately, Two Degrees of Murder (Twee Grade van Moord) suffers from flaws that are almost imperceptible: a lack of story focus, tonal shifts, unlikeable characters, and excessive padding. ‘Two Degrees of Murder’ Movie Review…
Vehicle 19
Plot: An American tourist gets caught in a web of Johannesburg police corruption.
The elements are all present, but Vehicle 19 is simply powered by a high-profile star, a smart concept, and a lot of passion. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough presence of thought, and as a result, it lacks the depth, excitement, and entertainment value one would expect. ‘Vehicle 19’ Movie Review…
White Wedding
Plot: A groom and his best man undertake an adventurous road trip in an effort to get to his wedding on time.
White Wedding has an inherent local charm, a naturally funny comedy without feeling overly contrived, able to kindle heartwarming themes around friendship, love, loyalty and endurance. ‘White Wedding’ Movie Review…
Wild is the Wind
Plot: After the body of a young Afrikaner girl is discovered, racial tensions and corruption reach boiling point in a small, segregated town as two cops try to split a life-changing score.
Wild is the Wind is a smoldering ensemble crime drama from Fabian Medea, starring Mothusi Magano and Frank Rautenbach, that attempts to condense enough story for a series into a feature film. Centred on two bent cops on the trail of a killer, this ambitious, gritty and violent police procedural remains entertaining with some inspired moments – in spite of its scattershot and superficial handling. ‘Wild is the Wind’ Movie Review
Wonderlus
Plot: After a wedding ceremony goes wrong, a distraught groom discovers the love of his life…
Wonderlus is a cool, immersive, moody, and soul-searching ensemble romance comedy drama about following your heart and living in the moment, starring a charming young South African film talent. ‘Wonderlus’ Movie Review
Other South African movies now on Netflix: Asinamali, Baby Mamas, Blitz Patrollie, Dora’s Peace, Kedibone, Kings of Jo’burg, Little Big Mouth, Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema, Happiness Ever After, Ingoma, Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign, Looking for Love, Love by Chance, Love Lives Here, Losing Lerato, Seriously Single, Shadow, Slay, The Forgotten Kingdom, The Lucky Specials, The Throne, The Valley of a Thousand Hills, Trippin’ with the Kandasamys and Tsotsi.
