Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. We have been graced with our first Blaxplotation film. This film is on the Drive-In Classics 50 Movie Pack. Blaxploitation is a genre I never really cared much for. Generally it involves some hero trying to stop drugs, prostitution, or some other crime all being perpetrated by some criminal kingpin. Superfly is another movie that falls in this genre, that I absolutely love, in fact it's one of my favorite movies. It's an example of what this genre can be. However, it's rarely ever as good as Superfly, it usually features cheesy lines, poor fight scenes, and racism. I, however, am going to watch this film pretending I know nothing of this genre, and what it can be. So bring it on.
REVIEW:
So this was an interesting "movie". The reason I say "movie" like that, is because this doesn't feel like a movie. It feels like they took two episodes of a failed television show, strapped them together and called it a movie. The first half of the movie deals with Al Connor, our hero, protecting and banging a foreign queen (or princess, I'm not really sure. They said she was married to the leader of the country. Yet Al keeps calling her princess.) The second is him rescuing the daughter of a gang leader, who has been kidnapped by the rival gang leader. The main villain in this is Big Daddy, a white guy surprisingly. This movie is, unsurprisingly, very racially charged and stereotypical.
PROS:
Cheesy Movie-Making: Oh my god is there a lot of it. It's like the writer and cinematographer sat through a three day Blaxploitation convention then said, "Yeah, we could do that."However, that's all they knew about making movies or about that genre at all. All females in this movie are practically flinging themselves at Al. I understand that the hero is supposed to be some sexy guy who all women want. However, he's rather unattractive. After re-reading this it sounds like I was complaining, I wasn't. I love this, it makes the movie so hilarious.
Quite possibly the cheesiest action movie camera angle ever.
Soundtrack: Swanky 70's bass makes this soundtrack one of the best I've heard in a long time. The theme song for the movie is so sweet. It just make me laugh hearing it. However, for how cheap this movie looks and how cheesy the acting is, the soundtrack is extremely well done and high quality.
Set Design: This is another area where the film does things well. Though it could be argued, is there even a set design or is this just what things looked like in the 70s. And that tells you how good the set design was. This is a 70's period piece, and this film definitely feels like it. The set's are beautiful and colorful the way, I suspect, things were in the 70s.
I want that wallpaper and the sheets.
This is an office, with shag carpet. Oh, nice two-tones by the way.
This a hotel room. Seriously? Look at that tile.
CONS:
"Movie": I've realized I find myself nit-picking a lot. I take quick notes while watching movies, so I can remember things to write here. Sometimes, I look at them and feel stupid for writing something so nit-picky. This is one of those times, however, I could find no other cons, so here it is. This isn't a movie, this is two episodes of a TV show strapped together. I mentioned this earlier, it's not that big of a deal, there are lots of movies that come from TV episodes being made longer and called a movie. However, the weird thing is, the first story takes place one day and ends the next morning. The second story begins that same morning. It REALLY feels like this was made to be a TV show but maybe that's just me.
Spoiler Alert: This is how the first story ends.
Spoiler Alert: This is how the second story ends.
FINAL SCORE:
8/10
I said prior I'm not the biggest fan of blaxploitation and this movie hasn't changed that. However, I will not say I didn't like this movie, that would be a lie. It's a great popcorn movie, for a weeknight before bed. It's a little long but, overall, a good movie.
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