‘Hunting Jessica Brok’ delivers explosive South African action

Hunting Jessica Brok is a relentless action thriller that mixes betrayal, vengeance, and flashes of comedy. Explosive set pieces, sharp South African humour, and a commanding central performance drive the film into a high-octane adventure.

Opening today (22 August 2025) in Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro cinemas, the film will also screen at The Bioscope from Sunday (24 August) and in the United States from September.

While parts of the adrenaline-fuelled ride are predictable, the film’s core remains a story of resilience, sacrifice, and revenge. Emotions run high as the Johannesburg-filmed story’s characters confront both personal loss and unrelenting danger.

Danica De La Rey Jones anchors the film as Jessica, a single mother and ex-military operative drawn back into a violent world she thought she had left behind. Her performance balances emotional vulnerability with physical strength, capturing both a mother’s determination and a soldier’s skill. This duality keeps the character engaging, even as the film veers off from moments of intensity.

The humour is distinctly South African, from a local mocking a foreign canned hunter in Afrikaans to Jessica being called in to remove a harmless mole snake. These cultural touches add authenticity, though at times they undercut the film’s darker moments. The tonal shifts can feel jarring, such as when a brutal fistfight gives way to slapstick banter. Nevertheless, it offers an enjoyable change of pace.

The story pits Jessica against Lazar Ipacz, a ruthless hunter seeking revenge for his brother’s death. Richard Lukunku delivers a chilling turn as the sadistic villain, with Hlubi Mboya adding menace as his equally twisted wife, Sherri. Their dynamic ensures the threat feels both personal and unpredictable.

Gun battles, knife fights, and explosions dominate the action, staged with a visceral realism that occasionally borders on excess but remains captivating. Characters survive seemingly impossible situations, and while this stretches believability, it keeps the tension high. Director Alastair Orr embraces the chaos, and at a Q&A session after the Johannesburg premiere he referred to one character as a superhero.

The cast adds texture, from the eccentric to the terrifying, including Tamer Burjaq, Llewellyn Cordier, Jandre Le Roux, David James, Damon Berry, Neels Classen, Anthony Oseyemi, and Clyde Berning. Their interplay adds flashes of levity amid the violence.

The film’s scope ranges from bush chases to claustrophobic caves, immersing viewers in SA’s landscapes as Jessica fights Lazar’s crew and the dangers of the wild. The climax builds to a brutal confrontation that embodies the film’s core theme: a mother’s unstoppable will to protect her child.

Co-produced by Known Associates Entertainment (KAE) and A-Game, Hunting Jessica Brok is at once brutal and playful, familiar yet distinctly South African. It may not always balance its tones seamlessly, but its mix of ferocious action, cultural humour, and heartfelt stakes makes it a striking addition to the local action genre.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.