180 Review: A disappointment to South African cinema

Brighton Nelson

17 Apr 2026 — 3 min read

I'm always really happy to see non-Hollywood films and shows hit Netflix. Some of my favorite films of all time tell incredible stories from all over Africa, so I was ecstatic to discover this South African film, 180, on Netflix! I watched this film as soon as I saw it in my feed; I was that interested. So, did it deliver on my excitement, or did it fail to stand out among the crowd? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be delving into in today's review. Thanks so much for stopping by the site, and I hope you enjoy your time here!

Unfortunately, this film's negatives far outweigh its positives. For every great performance here, there's an equally mediocre character; the only character that I was invested in the whole film was the girl who answered calls at the hospital, because she at least had a little personality. The main character is ridiculous—he feels completely unrealistic, with a complete lack of investment and emotion into saving his son, to the point he seems to be strung along like a puppet throughout the whole runtime. His decision-making is so bizarre that it feels both absurd and banal, leaving me baffled about what he was trying to convey through his character.

For every moment I was loving the fact that the dialogue was a great representation of African diversity, I was questioning why every word felt so dull. For every emotional beat the film aims for, there's an equally emotionless scene. Every time the film feels like it's building toward something cool, it collapses just as quickly. For every moment it feels like there could be some emotional weight, the main character makes a bafflingly bad decision that even the stupidest of humanity likely wouldn't consider, even under immense stress.

The whole movie, I was just wishing that Netflix would've backed a different film. One that has a great premise, soul, and something to say. Instead, it feels like they chose a low-hanging fruit option that would satisfy the lowest common denominator of viewers. And that's the most heartbreaking flaw of the whole film. I hate to say it's bad, and I'm not saying people in this crew weren't talented or made great stuff previously, but this simply didn't come together.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 27%
Letter Score: D+
Star Ranking: 1.5 out of 5

180 is a film that could've been something so much more: a beautiful look into the cinema of South Africa, published for the masses on Netflix. But, instead, it is just a completely mediocre foray into the thriller genre that lacks the stakes, gravitas, emotional connection, thrills, and more necessary to make a captivating thriller film.

Check out my reviews for some other drama films and thrillers below!