Viva Riva: [DVD] [UK Import]

Explosive, exhilarating and utterly original, Viva Riva is the next stage in the evolution of crime action cinema – a thrilling journey into the heart of darkness itself.
When a young hustler called Riva returns home after a successful venture with his pockets full of cash he has only one thing on his mind – to party. But in the depths of a city rife with crime, corruption, drugs and debauchery, the things you desire can come at a deadly cost – especially when they belong to another...
Quickly Riva's dream of decadence becomes a violent nightmare as he is pursued by two angry gangsters in this heart-pounding, jaw-dropping tale of bloodshed and betrayal.
VIVA RIVA! is a gangster thriller about a charismatic criminal, Riva, for whom a sudden burst of stolen wealth ignites an exhilarating, hedonistic and perilous journey through one of the most intriguing cities in Africa - Kinshasa.
VIVA RIVA! expertly combines a fresh rhythm, violence and eroticism that promises to ignite a new wave of African cinema, whilst demonstrating the intelligence, wit and technical accomplishment of European cinema.
The irony of the petrol thief Riva's journey is that he lives in a nation widely recognised to be the richest on the planet in terms of untapped natural resources (in excess of $23 trillion), and yet the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo are amongst the poorest on the planet.
Yet the film steers entirely clear of politics, the focus remains firmly on story-telling: VIVA RIVA! treats its audience to an imaginative portrait of vibrant rogues competing on the streets of Kinshasa. Trailblazing Congolese writer/director Djo Tunda Wa Munga mixes a heady cocktail of rich colour, dynamism and local music that marks him as an emerging force in World Cinema.
Reviews:
A bold crime action film that's vicious, sexy and throbblingly realistic - Hollywood Reporter
A blast from start to finish - Variety