Saloum

Play trailer

1:43

Saloum

2022

1h 24m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

55 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Shot down after fleeing a coup and extracting a drug lord from Guinea-Bissau, the legendary mercenaries known as the Bangui Hyenas -- Chaka, Rafa and Midnight -- must stash their stolen gold bounty, lay low long enough to repair and refuel their plane and escape back to Dakar, Senegal. When they take refuge at a holiday camp in the coastal region of Sine-Saloum, they do their best to blend in with their fellow guests; including a mute named Awa, with secrets of her own, and a policeman who may be on their tail, but it's Chaka who happens to be hiding the darkest secret of them all. Unbeknownst to the other Hyenas, he's brought them there for a reason and once his past catches up to him, his decisions have devastating consequences, threatening to unleash hell on them all.

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Critics Consensus

Smart, dynamic, and fast-paced, Saloum mixes tones and genres into a tart, smoothly blended treat.

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Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

Propulsively lurching with infectious glee from crime drama to modern-day Western to horror suffused with supernatural elements, this may turn out to be the rare African film that enters the international mainstream...

Dec 22, 2022

Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

New York Magazine/Vulture

It’s a pleasure to sprint alongside Saloum in an effort to keep up.

Sep 9, 2022

Full Review

Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

Herbulot and Diop have made a movie that is bold and exciting, combining bits of reality with outsized myth, in a tale of crime, revenge, and literal monsters, set in a wonderland where it seems anything can happen.

Sep 9, 2022

Full Review

Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Rivetingly directed by Jean Luc Herbulot, Saloum is already a cracklingly interesting game of cat and mouse set along the sun-baked African coastline before it invokes even darker genre spirits.

Jul 12, 2025

Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Cambridge Day

The crime-thriller preamble, followed by the incurrence of the supernatural, makes for fast-paced, stylish action in the hands of Congolese filmmaker Jean Luc Herbulot, delivering in his sophomore effort.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 16, 2023

Full Review

Pramit Chatterjee

Digital Mafia Talkies

Watch Saloum just to witness Jean Luc Herbulot jump from dark comedy to thriller to western to the supernatural horror genre and then wrap it all up with a sense of existentialism like it’s nothing.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

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Paul M

A stylish and clever genre bender that doesn’t quite reach the lofty expectations set by the first half of the film. The characters are well written and textured, while the visuals are sleek and haunting. There is plenty about this film to like, just not much to love.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/15/25

Full Review

Logan D

Amidst the 2003 coup d'etat 3 mercenaries known as the Hyenas of Bangui are hired to extract a drug lord and take him to Dakar, Senegal. However, their plane is damaged and they are forced to hide out in a small isolated resort that is full of secrets. An unexpected hidden gem! All three mercenaries have their own personalities and motivations. My favorite was the white haired Papa Minuit, stoic and intense. It's fast paced and full of style, jumping from genre to genre with ease. Loved the scenery and cinematography. I will seek out Herbulot's other works. Highly recommended

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/01/25

Full Review

Chrissy C

visually incredible with memorable characters. a wild plot that doesn’t feel jarring.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

Craig B

Quite an intriguing movie. Not really a straight out horror.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

Full Review

Korra N

Genre-blending done right in more ways than one, Saloum is twisted, twisty and taut, with incredible visuals, outstanding performances and smart writing. This is a truly great film that's wildly underseen & underappreciated.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

Full Review

Jonah K

a familiar message that is uniquely distinguished by it’s focus on symbolic horror and stylistic restraint. it’s definitely asking more from its viewers than it initially lets on, and i say that as a positive.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

Full Review

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Jean Luc Herbulot

Director

Yann Gaël

Chaka

Evelyne Ily Juhen

Awa

Roger Sallah

Rafa

Ba Mentor

Actor

Bruno Henry

Actor

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Saloum: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Shot down after fleeing a coup and extracting a drug lord from Guinea-Bissau, the legendary mercenaries known as the Bangui Hyenas -- Chaka, Rafa and Midnight -- must stash their stolen gold bounty, lay low long enough to repair and refuel their plane and escape back to Dakar, Senegal. When they take refuge at a holiday camp in the coastal region of Sine-Saloum, they do their best to blend in with their fellow guests; including a mute named Awa, with secrets of her own, and a policeman who may be on their tail, but it's Chaka who happens to be hiding the darkest secret of them all. Unbeknownst to the other Hyenas, he's brought them there for a reason and once his past catches up to him, his decisions have devastating consequences, threatening to unleash hell on them all.

Director: Jean Luc Herbulot
Producer: Paméla Diop
Screenwriter: Jean Luc Herbulot, Paméla Diop
Distributor: IFC Midnight
Production Co: Lacmé
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Action
Original Language: Wolof
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 2, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 8, 2022
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.9K
Runtime: 1h 24m

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