Downtown Unit

After losing his pregnant wife to what is perceived as another random crime in Johannesburg, six months after her death, Detective Cedric Majola is still hunting for the killers, and he goes on a vigilante hunt, but one that leads him to a mass murder of members of police force from the same unit he works at, conducting his investigation, he learns that there is more to the mass murder than meets the eye and how his boss and colleagues are linked to the death of his wife.

Tone

Downtown Unit is a riveting, tense crime action thriller that has some provocative messages about the South African justice system. The film is aimed at being suspenseful, with viewers being put on the edge of their seats trying to figure out what Majola may do next to get the justice he seeks for the death of his family. The tone of a film the film also harbours a variation of emotions, from happiness, to sad, frightening, ominous, and in some instances when we flashback to Majola’s life to his wife, there is love and romance. The tone of the film will be established early on in the opening scenes and continues throughout the entire film.

Film Vision & Major Theme

This is a movie about the flaws in the South African (Johannesburg) justice system. The point that Majola’s character is trying to prove is a simple one: the justice system is corrupt, those with  money control it, those with the power to protect, are just as corrupt as the criminals they’re meant to be protecting the citizens from. The character development of Majola is complex. You can sympathise with him and understand his big wound of losing the two people who were his world, you want to see Majola succeed. Majola is an ambiguous character all on his own. His tragedy was horrible and you feel for him, on his journey to uncover the truth, at some point, it becomes a kill or be killed journey when he gets too close to the truth and there is a target on his head, he takes matters into his own hands, and kills first, while being completely dedicated to his mission. DOWNTOWN UNIT has a strong moral worldview that shines a light on the South African justice system; as such, it examines the conflict between expediency and the meaning of true justice.

Character Arc

Cedric Majola is a firebrand police officer who is great at his job and is determined to bring down criminals, no matter the cost. Six months ago, his wife, Thandeka, an investigative journalist was murdered as she was about to uncover a case on police corruption, and the police’s link to drug lords and politicians, at the time, she was five months pregnant with their first child, a son. Cedric is still mourning the death of his wife and son, and the officer placed on the case has been dragging her feet, rendering the case, a cold one. Cedric has thus decided to take matters in his own hands, upsetting his boss, Captain Gumbi who believes Majola is too close to the case, but by hook or by crook, Cedric forges on, even if it means putting his job on the line. Cedric’s only reference of the killer is the tattoo on his arm, so this makes things really hard for him, and he spends quite some time going from tattoo parlour to the next, hoping there’ll be an artist who remembers working on such a unique piece, but alas, nothing. One morning on his way to work, he witnesses a crime at a local night club in the wee hours of the morning, he goes to investigate and walks into a massacre, this is a big crime, this looks like it was a hit, he manages to find one of the perpetrators running out of the club, and on foot, he chases him, in their scuffle, he locates the tattoo on the man’s forearm. What are the odds that this could be the very same person that killed his wife? But the man gets away. Police are called into the crime scene, from this point on, Cedric is like a dog with a bone to find the guy, this takes him on a rollercoaster journey as he comes face to face with crime bosses, but also gets to learn how deeply involved his own bosses and colleagues are in this syndicate and that they are the ones who took out a hit on his late wife as she was about to expose how even the police force is in the pockets of big crime bosses and that they are the part of the organised crime of the city, and they are willing to kill again, to keep their secrets safe, secrets that he is threatening to expose.

World of Story

The world of the film is the inner city of Johannesburg, and the police unit that operates and aims to protect the citizens, we see our protagonist exist in this world, and he too lives in an apartment in the centre of the city, so the city itself becomes the central character as Cedric moves in and around the city in his hunt for the killers, the buildings, the people, the police station he lives in, nightclubs that he visits to wind down, even at some point, strip clubs for extracurricular pleasure.  Johannesburg as a character  is a sprawling, vibrant city, boasting spectacular landscapes, characterized by tall building, taxi ranks, murky streets, and the refurbishment of the city. It is a relatively high risk crime area, but also a melting pot where people are united by their cultures and language. Modernity stands shoulder to shoulder with traditional ways, a city that blends massive houses with informal settlements, and narrow, dusty streets with tree-lined concrete streets. Its social scene includes shisanyamas, taverns, churches of different denominations, sports fields and craft markets where the work of local artists is showcased. This is a world where betrayal, ambition and greed tear families apart. Everyone aspires to be upwardly mobile and live at the best address.