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The Power of One | Year: 1992 Classification: Drama Directed: - John G. Avildsen Actors/Actresses: - Armin Mueller-Stahl doesn't match the book I first saw this film on TV at the age of 15 and at the time, I thought that it was fantastic. I think that I felt this way because I knew "absoludle" nothing about apartheid (and because I had yet to read the novel "The Power of One"). A few years later, i was given the opportunity to read the novel by Bryce Courtenay for summer reading at school. After reading the novel, I was blown away. It made the movie seem trite and I ended up feeling upset at the changes that the filmmakers made. One of the worst errors: In the book Peekay has no real love interest. The girl inserted in the movie served to take the place of Peekay's Jewish best friend Morrie; the film would have been a million times better showing that relationship rather than Peekay's relationship with this girl that seemed to have no basis in the original plot (to make matters worse, she was really annoying in the movie). In addition to this adjustment, the filmmakers stopped the movie early, not totally completing Peekay's power of one journey. My opinion of the film has changed since reading the novel. I think that this would be a great film for people to see if they HAVE NOT read the book, but if they have it will just be a disappointment. So you must be wondering why I gave this film 3 stars instead of 1. Well, #1 despite the filmmaker's total disregard for Courtenay's original plot, there was a fantastic African performance towards the middle of the film that matches exactly how I saw it in my mind while reading the book. #2 Morgan Freeman played a great Geel Piet and #3 Without this movie, I would have never given the book a chance and for that I am very greatful. If you've read the book don't bother with the movie.<BR>If you haven't, rent/watch the movie and then BUY the book instead. A very powerful movie Even today, the world is still seeing racism and hate. No matter how hard we try, the world will never see peace. This movie right here is a prime example of just how corrupt the world was back then. 'Power of One' focusses on a young boy named Peekay (shortened to P.K.) who grew up with a mother, no father (he died before Peekay was born) and a black guardian. Around about the age of 8, P.K. is sent to a boarding school, specially made for Afrikaaners (white people who hate blacks and English). Here P.K's life begins to get twisted into a whole mess. It takes us then to when P.K. grows up into the age around about 12-14 years of age where his mother dies and his guardian. Here he practices boxing and soon becomes a living legend as he grows up. It is at age 18 that he meets his true love who is a German girl and is forbidden to see any English boys. But as these two push the limits even further, it turns into death. Peekay loses his true loved one and decides to move to England to go to Oxford University. He meets up with his childhood friend who cause trouble when the blacks have like a secret party. He also meets his number #1 rival, who went to the same boarding school as he did, and starts to kill every black person because the army is after Peekay. The Power of One is truly a powerful and great movie and it was great to see that the director of 'Rocky' directed this movie. The acting is well done and it explains the story very well. Many people started to hate this movie because it was so much different from the book but I guarantee, even if I do read the book I would still like the movie. I don't really care about how they changed the book, I like this movie because I don't like racism and this was a touching movie. Even some scenes in this movie made tears falling from my eyes but just shows how much power this movie has. The world will never see peace and that's something we all have to agree on because there are some people living in this world today who don't see eye to eye with other races but we can make a change to the world. Peekay changed the world by teaching the blacks how to read. We can change the world by respecting each other, though some won't. It's not a major change but it's a good start. I'm totally against racism and one day I hope to make a little change to the world. If you haven't read the book. . . this is an entertaining film. I'd recommend it for people looking for a "overcoming adversity" story. It's better for younger students than the book would be, too, since the violence is toned down. Like most books made into movies, however, this film is so different from the book that they are almost two stories with the same title set in South Africa. I like using the movie when I teach the book, only because students are so unhappy with the movie and we can select the book scenes that SHOULD have been filmed instead. Buy The Power Of One at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Power Of One Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Power Of One This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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