Batouk

About This Movie

Batouk is an interesting piece if you're into documentaries, though it does have its flaws. Manigot pieces together stock footage of Africa in a way that's a bit disjointed. You have these female dancers in trendy outfits juxtaposed against traditional African dance, which creates a strange vibe. There's a lone runner training, and some nature scenes that feel tacked on. The pacing can be a bit slow, but it does evoke a certain feeling of contrast between the modern and the primal. It’s not the most coherent narrative, but the cultural commentary is there, albeit buried under the uneven editing. It’s one of those films that makes you think, even if you’re not sure what to think about it.

Uneven editing and pacing · Interesting cultural contrasts · Stock footage may not appeal to all