Gangster’s Paradise presents a dog-eat-dog existence amidst Johannesburg’s notorious slums. After escaping a life of carjacking, Lucky heads to the city for a fresh start. When his business is destroyed by a similar accident, he revisits his old schemes on a grander scale as he seizes control of tower blocks under the guise of taking from the rich to give to the poor.

Built around a social context that rises beyond a hackneyed morality tale and backed with a vibrant soundtrack, Gangster’s Paradise mixes grim realism with visceral thrills to create an involving underworld drama that approaches the standard of City Of God.

8/10

Words by Ben Hopkins