The gangster genre might feel old, but not in “Viva Riva!” It helps, of course, that the film is set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a locale not much seen in movie theaters on these shores. But it’s not just the city of Kinshasa that keeps this film fresh. It’s the colorful characters, which are nearly always what make or break a crime caper. Here the caper is committed by the title character, played with a carefree criminality by Patsha Bay. Riva arrives in Congo from Angola, where he’s stolen a large amount of fuel from the white-suited Cesar (Hoji Fortuna). The one criminal isn’t going to let the other get away with it.
But Riva already has other things on his mind: Making top dollar in fuel-starved Kinshasa and hooking up with the beautiful Nora (Manie Malone). Riva just can’t seem to stop getting on the bad guys’ bad side: Nora belongs to Azor (Diplome Amekindra), who ruthlessly rules the underbelly of Kinshasa. Throw in a military commander (Marlene Longage) and her girlfriend (Angelique Mbumb), and the stage is set for danger of the most violent kind.
| On screen |
| ‘Viva Riva!’ |
| 3.5 out of 5 stars |
| Stars: Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Diplome Amekindra |
| Directors: Djo Munga |
| Rated: R for sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use |
| Running time: 98 minutes |
“Viva Riva!” is the directorial debut of Djo Munga, and this clever caper makes him a man to watch. The film has what are perhaps the most important elements of the genre: vicious violence and steamy sensuality. Munga goes all the way. As do his stars, who help create the atmosphere that make “Viva Riva!” so much fun. Bay and Malone might be playing archetypes, but they take them to another level here. “Viva Riva!” won six African Movie Academy Awards, including best picture and best director. Americans should embrace the film — and its embrace of energy — just as much.
