Actually, I expected a cheap military comedy with some lame jokes. I was positively surprised! It's more a growing-up movie about young recruits from different social strata, having to learn a new way of life, mutual respect and endurance until they are sent off to the battlefield. The daily life's funny scenes and little tragedies are portrayed believable and you can feel with these young men from the start. A bit of social criticism is in it too, regarding the action of Boetie's stepfather... The play of the main cast is convincing, and watching Arnold Vosloo in his first movie is just great. So at least his fans should watch this, with or without knowing Afrikaans.

A pre "The Mummy" Arnold Vosloo stars in this weak comedy about a young man who finds love while doing his compulsory military service. The film is badly dated. It is also very particular to South Africa in its content and subject matter. It proved very popular and spawned a sequel.

I have seen "Boetie gaan border toe" (non-literal translation : Boetie goes to the war, literal translation: Boetie goes to the border.) yonks ago. 'though I loved it then, I'll have to rerate it when I find a local copy of the movie.This movie is majorly in Afrikaans (A South African language), hence the title.It's a fun movie in the mileu of the South African military activities in Angola a few decades ago.