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Zulu Dawn

Play trailer Poster for Zulu Dawn PG,  1979,  2h 1m,  History/ Drama/ War Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 60% 10 Reviews Tomatometer 61% 2,500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
60% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Sir Henry Bartle Frere's vastly outnumbered garrison makes a stand against natives at Isandlwana in 1879.
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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Mar 12, 2026
3/5
The British lost, but in terms of the contest between interest and boredom, it’s a draw. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Sep 25, 2026
4/5
…a worthy prequel to the 1963 classic Zulu, and one that broadens the criticism of the first film. There’s a lot less heroic Brits in the movie...Cy Endfield’s script takes few prisoners in its detailed evocation of multiple, avoidable massacres. Go to Full Review
Brent McKnight The Last Thing I See Jul 9, 2020
C
Rides the line between being a pure artifact of a bygone era-one that depicts a romanticized, unrealistic version of the time-and a modern, revisionist take that strives for a more accurate portrayal of historical reality. Go to Full Review
Christopher Lloyd Sarasota Herald-Tribune Feb 28, 2011
3.5/5
A simple two-act story: Prelude to war, and the war. The former is concerned with a lot of British derring-do and priggish behavior. The latter consists of battle scenes with a lot of kinetic energy but not as much emotional punch as they should have. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Sep 16, 2010
B+
A rousing visual spectacle that's a prequel of the Cy Endfield directed Zulu (1964). Go to Full Review
Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Mar 7, 2007
3.5/5
Seen today, it's not only a startling indictment of British imperialism, but it seems a remarkably forward-thinking work. Go to Full Review
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Zulu Dawn

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Cast & Crew

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Douglas Hickox

Director

Peter O'Toole

Lord Chelmsford

Burt Lancaster

Col. Durnford

John Mills

Sir Henry Bartle Frere

Simon Ward

Lt. Vereker

Nigel Davenport

Col. Hamilton-Brown

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Zulu Dawn

Zulu Dawn (1979) Zulu Dawn (1979) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sir Henry Bartle Frere's vastly outnumbered garrison makes a stand against natives at Isandlwana in 1879.
Director
Douglas Hickox
Producer
Nate Kohn
Screenwriter
Charles De Latour, Anthony Story
Production Co
Samarkand
Rating
PG
Genre
History, Drama, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 22, 2016
Runtime
2h 1m
Sound Mix
Surround
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