I Am All Girls – Netflix’s Intense Revenge Thriller on Social Issue

Usually, the revenge or vigilante movies are male-centric like Man on Fire, Equalizer but Netflix’s I Am All Girls is the story revolving around women who are pursuing justice on their own terms. Based on the true events in South Africa, this movie goes through multiple timelines both during the fading days of apartheid and the present days, this movie flashes a light on the human trafficking horrors and the devastation it causes. 

In 1994, Ntombizonke Bapai got abducted with some other girls and got taken to the complex of the cabinet minister FJ Nolte (Deon Lotz) of the National Party, where most of them are sold to the human trafficking business. Then she and the other girls are sent to a shitty brothel, where their dark time continues.

After several years, Ntombizonke (Hlubi Mboya) is working with the police force along with Jodie Snyman (Erica Wessels). When Jodie fails another trafficking bust, she is pushed away from these cases and instead gets assigned to a murder case. She quickly discovers that this murder case relates to the sex trafficking cases she has been investigating all these years.

As Jodie digs deeper into this case, more murders start to happen around the city. She then realizes that the initials which are carved into the bodies match the initials of a group of girls that were kidnapped in the 90s. Every time she gets close to arresting the murderer, corruption and red tape gets in her way. Later things get more complicated as it became clear that the murderer is tied up with the police force. Even with many twists and pressure from her supervisors, Jodi refuses to give up on this case.

Young children’s sex trafficking is a very delicate topic and is hard to portray sensitively on the screen. Fortunately, I Am All Girls effectively showed this matter with immense sensitivity and touch. Donovan Marsh’s compassionate direction works well for I Am All Girls, he is also able to tell the story with thrilling, infuriating, and emotionally affecting.

Both leading actresses have done an excellent job, but Hlubi Mboya simply shines more as the avenging Ntombizonke Bapai. She is the core of the I Am All Girls, putting a face in front of the police force and shedding tears, and planning revenge behind the doors. Also, her chemistry with Erica Wessels is truly magical.  Both of their journeys are powerful, and their bond really resonates.

I Am All Girls successfully tells a powerful story while being a compelling and gripping thriller at every twist and turn, and makes you totally absorbed in the story from start to finish.