Although wordy and occasionally long-winded, Richard Attenborough's film about doomed South African activist Steve Biko (a role that consolidated stardom for Denzel Washington) is, on the whole, a very eloquent cry for freedom. And, despite a running time that seems profligate, the story keeps moving at quite a good pace as it changes from exposé to a combination of tear-jerker and escape movie. And, although the South African law enforcers are portrayed as one-dimensional brutes, this does give the film a necessary balance, as there are charismatic performances from Washington and from John Hargreaves as the Australian reporter friend of central character Kevin Kline. The South African accents are frankly a mess. No-one seems able to come up with the genuine article, and only John Thaw's police chief is a reasonable try. But, for all its minor faults, you have to applaud the fact that this eye-opening film got made at all.

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