Duma (2005)

Duma (2005) Full Recap

In the wild grasslands of South Africa, a cheetah cub watches as two lions attack and kill his mother. The cub looks dismayed and is unable to do anything, and all the other animals in the area run away. Later that night, the orphaned cub wanders onto a lonely road and almost gets hit by a car driven by a farmer named Peter. Peter's son, Xan, notices that there's an animal on the road, and he tells his dad to stop so they can help it.

Peter doesn't think he hit the animal, but Xan still insists on stopping to check up on it. After they get out of the car, Xan traps the cub in a net, and Peter quickly drags his son away from the road before he gets hit by a truck. As Xan admires the cub, Peter looks confused and wonders where it came from. He says it might be lost, and Xan agrees because the cub's mother is nowhere to be found.

Peter then suggests taking it with them, and they return to the car. Shortly after, they stop at a restaurant to eat, and Peter puts together a baby bottle and fills it with milk for the cheetah cub. Xan looks impressed, and as he feeds the cub, he notices that it has black streaks on its face. Xan then tells Peter that it's a cheetah, and he talks about it being the fastest animal in the world.

As he says it's definitely faster than Peter's Porsche, Peter realizes that his son really likes the animal. After he agrees to let Xan keep the cub, he says they'll eventually have to let it go one day because it belongs in the wild. Xan looks disappointed when he hears this, but he agrees with his dad. A while later, Xan and Peter arrive home and show Xan's mom, Kristin, what they found.

Kristin looks shocked to see the cheetah cub, but she also admires it and doesn't seem to have a problem with keeping it. Following this, the cheetah cub becomes a part of the family and even sleeps in Xan’s bed. After a few days, Kristin suggests naming it Duma, the Swahili word for cheetah, and Xan agrees. As Duma grows older, Xan and Peter spend more time with it on their farm.

Peter also teaches Xan how to ride a motorcycle, and they do other things together on the farm. One day, while Xan is playing with Duma on a nearby field, Peter falls sick and is taken to the hospital immediately. Xan feels sad when this happens, but he keeps helping his mom on the farm. Shortly after, Peter slightly recovers and is discharged from the hospital.

When he returns home, Xan looks quite happy and enjoys seeing his parents together. The next day, Peter and Xan teach Duma how to run fast by getting him to chase Peter's bike at high speed. Unsurprisingly, Duma easily overtakes the bike, but Xan and Peter still look amazed. Days later, Peter tells Xan about the need to take Duma back to where he belongs before he becomes too grown to survive in the wild.

Xan looks sad and says that Duma doesn't want to leave or be wild. Peter says they can't decide that for Duma because he's a wild animal. Peter adds that Duma's wildness is something he knows without even knowing it. Xan still tries to argue, but his dad manages to convince him. Peter then maps out a plan for Duma’s journey back to the wilderness.

He also tells Xan that they just have to drop Duma off, not too far from where they found him. Xan looks disappointed that his wild friend will be leaving soon, and Peter says they'll take Duma there next week. A few nights later, Xan wakes up and sees the flashing lights of an ambulance outside the house. He doesn't understand what's happening, but as he heads down, he sees his mom standing at the door.

He then asks about his dad, but Kristin just hugs him. Unfortunately, it turns out that Peter is dead, and this leaves Xan devastated. After Peter's funeral, things don't feel the same around the farm, and Xan spends more time sitting silently with Duma. Sometime after Peter's death, Kristin faces a distraught Xan to explain the changes they have to make as a family.

She says she'll have to lease the farm, and Xan asks if they'll still live in the house. Kristin says they won't, and that they'll go to the city to live with Xan's aunt, Gwen, while she also tries to find a job. Xan then asks about Duma, and Kristin says they'll find a new home for him. She adds that there's a big reserve where he'll have lots of room to run around.

Xan doesn't like this plan, but Kristin says she's doing what's best for them. Xan still disagrees and throws a tantrum, saying that’s not what his dad wanted. Days later, Xan and Duma have no choice but to move to the city with Kristin. As they leave the farm, Xan looks quite unhappy, but Kristin says they're doing the only thing that makes sense.

She adds that even though moving to the city might be scary, she's sure Xan will do just fine. Xan still seems pissed about relocating, and he just puts on his headphones. After they arrive at Gwen's house, Xan and Kristin start settling in quite well, but Gwen seems terrified of Duma. When Kristin sees Gwen looking at Duma strangely, she says there's nothing to worry about because the man from the reserve will come for the cheetah in a day or two.

Gwen still seems concerned, but Xan looks disappointed that Duma will really be sent to a reserve. Shortly after, Kristin takes him to his new school in the city. Even though she tries to give him some advice, he just gets out of the car and snubs her. Later that day, Kristin leaves Gwen's house to pick up Xan from school.

Gwen doesn't look comfortable being in the house alone with Duma, and she continues watching him as she reads a newspaper. Almost immediately, Duma jumps on the couch, picks up the TV remote with his teeth, and gets startled when he hears different sounds from the TV. As he screams, jumps around, and knocks things over, Gwen looks terrified. She then runs out of the house and leaves the door open.

Following this, Duma runs outside and follows Kristin's car to Xan's school. While a class is in session, Xan suddenly spots Duma by the window and looks shocked. As he tries to leave the classroom to meet Duma, the teacher stops him and says he can't just head out without permission. Before Xan can say anything else, everyone hears a fire alarm ringing, and the teacher tells the kids to exit the class in an orderly manner.

Xan then leaves the classroom and sees that the police have been called to catch Duma, who is on the run. Almost immediately, Xan catches a glimpse of Duma and runs after him till he gets to the restroom. As he then walks slowly around the restroom, he calls out Duma but gets no response. Suddenly, some bullies show up to ask for his money, but he refuses to give it up.

The bullies don't like this, and as they knock Xan to the ground, he sees Duma inside one of the stalls. The bullies also see this, and as Duma walks out, he scares them. The boys look terrified and drop their money before they run away. Xan then picks it up and praises Duma for scaring the boys.

As they leave the restroom, Xan realizes that the cops are still looking for Duma. Before the cops can catch them, Xan and Duma quickly run away, and Kristin looks surprised as she tries to call her son to come back. Duma eventually runs off and nearly gets hit by a car, and Xan loses sight of him at some point. As he then looks around for Duma, he sees his wild friend hiding inside a wooden playhouse.

After this, they both leave the playground to find a new place to hide so that the cops won't harm Duma. Later that day, while they're watching cars pass by in the distance, Xan realizes that Duma won't be safe in the city if he stays. He then decides to take Duma back into the wilderness, just like his late dad suggested. After a while, he returns to the farm to take Peter's old motorcycle, but he leaves a note for his mom, telling her that he's taking Duma back home.

Kristin looks shocked when she sees the note, and she starts wondering what to do next. Meanwhile, Xan begins his journey to the place where Peter wanted them to drop off Duma. After riding for a while, Xan stops to check his map. He sees how far they have come and realizes that they still have a long way to go.

He then asks Duma if they should keep going, and as the cheetah makes a sound, he takes it as a yes. Following this, they continue moving again, but when they get to the Salt Pans, the motorcycle runs out of gas. Xan looks disappointed by this, but he tells Duma that he knew they would eventually run out of gas. He then sits on the floor and checks his compass to confirm that they're still on the right track.

After this, he brings out his half-empty bottle of water and gives some to Duma. As he then thinks about what to do next, he decides to push the bike and find a better place to rest. He does this for a while before finding a crashed airplane, and he stops there with Duma. When night falls, Xan sleeps inside a part of the crashed plane.

Shortly after, a strange man named Ripkuna sees the bike and walks toward it. As Ripkuna tries to start it, the noise wakes Xan, and he heads out to ask what the man is trying to do. Ripkuna looks surprised when he sees Xan, but he eventually leaves the bike and says that he's going South. As Ripkuna asks if that's a problem for Xan, he says it is because he's going west with his friend.

Ripkuna asks who his friend is, and Xan says it's Duma. Ripkuna looks shocked when he sees the cheetah, and he slowly moves back because he doesn't want to get hurt. Xan then asks Ripkuna if he has water, and he says he does. Ripkuna also asks what Xan has, and he says it's only his motorcycle.

As Xan then offers to give Ripkuna a ride, he also decides to share his water. Xan quickly drinks as much as he can and gives some to Duma, but Ripkuna complains about this. He then tries to start the bike again, but when it doesn't work, he asks Xan what's wrong with it. Xan says there's no gas in it, and Ripkuna finds this funny because the little boy has tricked him into sharing his water.

He doesn't seem to have a problem with this, and he introduces himself to Xan, who also says his name and thanks Ripkuna for the water. Shortly after, the sun comes up, and Xan sees a bush baby inside his bag. As Xan asks how it got there, Ripkuna says it has probably taken too many wrong turns just like he has. He then tells Xan that there's a river about five days’ walk from their current location.

He adds that they won't get there without food, and Xan must decide which of the animals they'll eat first. Xan doesn't like this idea, but Ripkuna says they must eat the animals to survive. Xan remains silent, and Ripkuna says they still have a few days before they have to make a decision. Back in the city, Kristin is worried about Xan's whereabouts, and she prints copies of a missing person's notice that has a picture of Xan and Duma.

In the desert, Xan figures out a way to turn the motorcycle into a desert sailboat with a parachute he finds on the wrecked plane. This turns out to be a really brilliant idea, and Ripkuna looks impressed and asks where Xan got the idea. Xan proudly says his dad taught him, and they ride happily till they get to a shrubland from which they have to move on foot. After a while, Xan becomes thirsty, and Ripkuna digs deep till he finds water.

Xan looks happy about this, and after getting his fill of the water, he spots an ostrich and encourages Duma to chase it. However, Duma only finds the ostrich's eggs, and as Ripkuna looks disappointed, he sarcastically tells Xan that the cheetah is a great hunter. Shortly after, Ripkuna tells Xan to consider selling Duma because he could get a lot of money for the cheetah. Xan says he can't sell his friend, but Ripkuna still talks about how rich people often buy animals like Duma for a lot of money.

Xan insists that he’s not selling Duma, and Ripkuna asks if he even knows where he's going. Xan then shows Ripkuna his map and points to the place where he plans to drop off Duma. Ripkuna realizes that Xan wants to cross a river called the Okavango, and he asks if the young boy is sure about it. Xan doesn't think it should be a problem, but Ripkuna says it's a place of many teeth.

He adds that it's a very dangerous place, but Xan insists that he's not afraid. Ripkuna thinks Xan is being stupid, and he says that Xan has to be smart and afraid. As they prepare for another night, Ripkuna warns Xan that he could end up in a lion's belly if he isn't careful. He also teaches Xan that lighting a fire is the only thing that scares lions away.

Xan doesn't respond to this, and Ripkuna offers to help him reach a part of his destination. Xan says he would like that, and Ripkuna says they'll continue their journey in the morning. As they set off on foot the next morning, Xan uses his compass at some point and looks suspicious of the direction Ripkuna is taking. Despite this, Xan still follows him, and they eventually come across a place with bones and skulls on the ground.

Xan asks who they belong to, and Ripkuna says it's for people who never thought they'd die in the desert. After a while, Ripkuna catches sight of a sharp object in the sand, and he pulls it out. He then hands it to Xan and says it can kill anything in the right hands. Suddenly, a helicopter whirs above them, and even though Xan thinks it might be someone who can help them, Ripkuna suggests that they run for cover.

Xan doesn't understand why they have to hide, but Ripkuna says there are bad people in the helicopter. Interestingly, it turns out that Kristin, who is still looking for Xan, is inside the helicopter. After the helicopter flies around the area for a while, Kristin suggests moving further away because her son isn't there. Meanwhile, Xan still thinks about going out to call for help, but Ripkuna forces him to stay back in their hiding spot.

Much later, Xan and Ripkuna spend another night in the desert. Ripkuna then asks if Xan knows why cheetahs have black lines on their faces. Xan says he heard that it's to stop the glare from the sun when cheetahs hunt during the day. However, Ripkuna tells the tale of how a mother cheetah, who lost her cub, cried for so long until her tears made black streaks down her face.

The next day, Ripkuna sees an old diamond cave and decides to check it out for diamonds. Xan says he wants to continue going, but Ripkuna tells him to wait. As Ripkuna enters the cave, Xan decides to leave without him. Almost immediately, Xan hears Ripkuna calling for help after getting trapped in a cave-in.

Xan then goes into the cave to help Ripkuna. Before Ripkuna completely gets out of the trap, Xan suddenly stops and asks where he's taking them. Ripkuna says he's taking them to their destination, but Xan doesn't believe this because his compass indicates that they're heading North, not West. Ripkuna insists that he's following the right direction, but Xan accuses him of taking them to a nearby town in the North.

He adds that Ripkuna wants to collect a reward for him and sell Duma to make some money. Ripkuna denies this, but Xan still doesn't trust him. Ripkuna looks scared and begs Xan to free him first, but he refuses to do this. He then walks out of the cave and tells Duma that they'll have to continue their journey without Ripkuna's help.

Shortly after, as they get to the Thamalakane River, Xan prepares for their crossing with a raft. After Xan is done making the raft, Duma seems too anxious to join him because he has spotted some crocodiles near the river. Xan then encourages Duma to come with him, and as they cross the river, the rapids suddenly become rough, and they fall into the water. The crocodiles also swim into the river to attack them, but luckily, Xan and Duma make it out alive.

They also see the bush baby from earlier inside the water, and Xan quickly saves it. Meanwhile, Kristin takes things into her hands and sets out on a mission to find Xan. Elsewhere, Xan and Duma continue their journey and encounter a herd of buffalo. As they try to run away, Xan falls to the ground, but the buffaloes continue chasing Duma.

Xan looks disappointed by this, and he starts looking for Duma, who has majestically walked right into a trap. Shortly after, someone approaches the cage, and Duma looks nervous inside. As night falls, Xan continues his search for Duma, and he's even forced to hide in a tree when he sees a wild boar walking through the forest. After he gets off the tree, the boar sees him and chases him around the forest.

Xan falls down in the process, and as the boar nearly hits him, he loses consciousness. By the time he wakes up, Duma is already free, and Ripkuna is beside him. Xan looks confused and asks what happened. Ripkuna then mentions that Duma was in a poacher's trap while Xan was in a hog's house.

The next morning, Xan apologizes to Ripkuna for leaving him in the sand trap and moving on without him. However, Ripkuna says Xan was right because he was really thinking about how much he could make from selling Duma. Ripkuna then opens up about leaving his family in the village and seeking greener pastures in the city. He says he had really big plans but eventually ended up in jail.

He adds that jail is not a place he wants to go again. Just then, Xan talks about leaving his mom and how she probably hates him for doing that. However, Ripkuna says mothers never stop loving their kids. Xan asks what Ripkuna knows about mothers, and he says he's a father. Shortly after, Xan encourages Duma to chase two antelopes, but they outrun him.

Ripkuna looks disappointed by this, and he tells Xan that they won't have anything to eat tonight. Much later, as they walk through the forest, they hear some tourists singing and dancing at a nearby camp. Ripkuna believes taking their food will be easy, and he asks if Xan has any ideas. Xan says he does, and they agree to go on with the plan.

The next morning, Xan walks up to the tourists, crying for help. When they rush to his side, he opens his shirt and reveals a snake. The tourists immediately leave the camp out of fear, and Ripkuna and Xan shake hands in excitement about their well-executed plan. They then pack enough food for their trip.

Shortly after, Ripkuna rows a boat as they inch closer to their destination. On the way, he says that Xan will go far in life if he stays out of jail. Xan then offers Ripkuna some money for helping him, but he says he can't take it. Xan says he really wants Ripkuna to have it, but he still refuses to take it.

As Xan then attempts to throw the wad of cash in the river, Ripkuna quickly stops him and accepts the gift. In exchange for it, Ripkuna gives Xan a small, precious stone he found in the mining trap, with the hope that Xan will remember him by it. Not long after, Xan plays a death prank on Ripkuna by pretending to twist his neck. As Ripkuna gets scared and calls Xan repeatedly, he sits up and bursts into laughter.

Ripkuna finds this funny, but he tells Xan not to do that again. After the river crossing, they continue their journey on land, and Duma finds a dead animal. As he feeds on the carcass, Ripkuna suspects that the animal was killed very recently by a lion. Xan tries to stop Duma from feeding on the dead animal, but the cheetah growls angrily.

Xan looks surprised, but Ripkuna reminds him that this was what he wanted. He adds that Xan must remember that Duma is a wild animal. Xan looks disappointed by this, and he feels sad that Duma is gradually adapting to his natural instinct. Ripkuna notices this and cheers Xan up by placing his hat on Duma’s head.

Xan finds this funny, and after a while, they continue their journey. They then stop at a cave, which Ripkuna says his grandfather used to bring him to. He also talks about how most of the old people he knows are gone. Xan initially stays silent, but he then talks about his late dad.

As he asks how someone can just disappear like that forever, Ripkuna comforts him and explains how people have an allotted time to live and will die when their time is up. He adds that everyone does what they can in life before they disappear. He also mentions that after they drop Duma off, he'll go back to his village to meet his family, even though they might not welcome him. He then advises Xan to go back to his mom because his dad is also dead to her.

Xan says things aren't the same anymore, but Ripkuna says he has to accept change all the time. He adds that the little boy who left home isn't the same one with him now. Shortly after, they proceed on the last stretch of their journey, and soon enough, Ripkuna points to his village in the distance. Almost immediately, Ripkuna spots a swarm of tsetse flies coming toward them.

He tells Xan that they have to run, but as they do this, he realizes that they can't escape. He then protects Xan by covering him with his jacket while he braves the attack without cover. Unfortunately, Ripkuna develops sleeping sickness, and he tells Xan that things could get worse for him. Shortly after, they walk toward a territory where some lions are roaming.

Duma (2005) Ending Explained

Ripkuna says they need to start a fire to scare off the lions, but rain starts soon after. Xan is unable to start the fire, so Ripkuna tells him to light up the cash he gifted him earlier. When the rain stops and the fire burns, Ripkuna's condition gets worse, and Xan ties Duma to a tree while he goes to get help. After Xan leaves, Duma grows restless as he hears some lions roaring in the distance.

He then frees himself and manages to lure the lions to chase him instead of Xan. Luckily, this plan works, and Duma also gets to safety. Elsewhere, Xan finds an old man in a nearby hut and asks for his help. The old man doesn't understand English, and he keeps asking Xan what he's saying in a foreign language.

Interestingly, Xan understands the language, and he tells the man that his friend needs help. The old man and a couple of people follow Xan to where he left Ripkuna and Duma. They then carry Ripkuna to the village for treatment. Meanwhile, Duma finds another cheetah, and they form a bond immediately.

At the village, Ripkuna is treated by an old nurse who applies a special lotion on his face. The next morning, everyone in the village looks shocked to see Xan, but they appear to be quite friendly toward him. Shortly after, the old nurse removes the molded mask on Ripkuna's face, and it turns out that they're in Ripkuna's village. As the old nurse and the old man from the previous day recognize him, they send for his family to come and check up on him.

After Ripkuna regains consciousness, his wife and kids visit him, and he looks happy to see them. He then apologizes to his wife and introduces Xan to his family. Shortly after, Ripkuna's mother comes in and looks excited to see him. As she then hugs him, Xan smiles and remembers his mom.

Almost immediately, Xan notices that Duma is missing, so he steps out to find him. Not long after, he sees Duma with the other cheetah eating a gazelle they just caught. He then sits down and thinks about Peter's and Ripkuna's words about Duma's existence in the wild. As Xan looks sad that he'll have to let his friend stay in the wild, Duma walks toward him.

Xan smiles when he sees Duma, but he eventually bids the cheetah farewell and says that he'll miss him. After this, Xan wipes his tears and heads over to meet Ripkuna, who looks proud of what he just did. Days later, Ripkuna helps Xan find his bike and fills it with gas. With this, Xan returns home to meet Kristin, who looks incredibly happy to see her son again.

After finding a cheetah cub on the road, Xan and his dad decide to take it in. The cub eventually grows older, and Peter suggests taking it back into the wilderness because that’s where it belongs. Unfortunately, he dies before he can do this, and Xan quickly sets out on a journey to take Duma home before he’s sent to a reserve or shot by the cops. The journey doesn’t initially go smoothly, but Xan eventually meets Ripkuna, who helps him achieve his goal and encourages him to return home to his mom.