Bob Marley will live forever, he was a truly great man:: A biopic about the man behind the unity of a nation at a time of turmoil, and a story that perhaps the world needs right now too, Bob Marley: One Love emerged on the big screen on Valentine’s Day 2024. Kiwis have adored Bob for many years, and we seem to have a real connection with his music. So naturally, the vibes were rife with anticipation for this film. The movie is centred around Bob Marley’s ultimate rise from Jamaica to the rest of the globe. The film begins in 1976, with Bob already an established figure of importance in Jamaica. The narrative broadly follows Bob’s personal experience with the conflict and civil unrest in the Caribbean nation, having come face to face with a shooter who attempts to take his life along with other bandmates during a routine rehearsal. Bob Marley and The Wailers were due to play a free concert in the capital of Kingston, to unite the two polarising political views at the time. The event was quoted on screen to have ‘changed his life forever’. Bob Marley leaves Jamaica for London, to go inwards and find the tone that will hopefully bring the people of his home country together. The film then essentially chronicles the development of the seminal album Exodus which was eventually released in 1977, and how his relationship with the admirable Rita Marley grows.

The film’s soundtrack is roots of reggae at its best, with all the classic hits, along with deeper cuts to be appreciated. When the first few scenes unveil the uncertain geopolitical state in Jamaica, we are served the bashful ‘Get Up, Stand Up’, which explicitly sets the tone for uncertainty with its unsettled rhythm section and vocal calls to stand up for our collective human rights. This is a great song to kick things off, as it ensures the energy is there for the audience to engage with. It’s familiar, and a driving force of reggae dub which hallmarks the foundation of the genre. Its ‘Roots, Rock, Reggae’ and ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ which backup this hearty start to the soundtrack, to remind the audience about the sounds that initially echoed out of Jamaica, introducing the world to this distinct style.