Die Bloedhonde – On the Trail of the Truth
Review
Katrien van Schalkwyk (Elani Dekker) is unique and different.
She despises her family, who blindly trust everything and everyone and follow the pastor like loyal sheep. Katrien understands people, doesn’t believe in hell, and sees straight through the hypocritical masks that people wear — especially the mask worn by Pastor Lukas (Tobie Cronjé).
It’s the annual Van Schalkwyk December getaway at Bitterfontein holiday resort, and Katrien is searching for the truth. She’s on the trail of a murderer. Alongside the permanent resident and dagga-smoking Jasper (Waldemar Schultz), these two unlikely characters team up as “the bloodhounds” to solve a mystery.
After a letter is discovered in which Hansie Muller (Darren Cloete) bids farewell to his adoptive parents, and his body is found in the river, shocked holiday-goers are convinced it was suicide — but not Katrien. She’s convinced that Pastor Lukas is hiding something.
Stiaan Smith’s debut as a director with this comedy murder mystery succeeds on many levels. The questions Katrien and Jasper try to answer lead the audience on an investigation that includes all the familiar ingredients of a Sherlock Holmes-style whodunit. Twists, red herrings, false suspects, and various clues keep the audience guessing throughout, and the final reveal is a surprise.
As a comedy, however, Die Bloedhonde doesn’t entirely succeed. The comedic elements don’t quite find solid footing amid the murder mystery. The jokes sometimes feel forced and, at other times, fall flat. Katrien’s character, with her serious outlook on life and quest for truth, occasionally struggles with clumsy and exaggerated dialogue, combined with a stiffness that makes the on-screen chemistry between her and Waldemar’s Jasper feel awkward. Their friendship doesn’t always feel convincing.
While the film may feel a bit long-winded and perhaps even forgettable, its underlying theme might stay with viewers long after the credits roll. Die Bloedhonde is about the search for yourself and your own truth. And sometimes, that is enough.
Production Information
Age Restriction
PG
Cast
Elani Dekker, Waldemar Schultz, Tobie Cronjé, Tanja Franzsen en Anrich Herbst
Rating
3.5/5
Box Office
See NFVF
Written by Gerhard Ehlers
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