'Black Dynamite' a fun, stylish romp through time
Spencer Taylor
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment
"Black Dynamite," a 2009 film written by and starring Michael Jai White, may have gone largely unnoticed by the general population.
A resurrection of the "blaxploitation" genre made famous by characters like Shaft, "Dynamite" infuses the roots of cheesy 1970s era action with a modern tongue-in-cheek
twist.
When his kid brother is killed on the streets, Black Dynamite declares war on drugs and vows to clean up his community. Black Dynamite's journey will lead him through a serious of twists and turns, with plenty of laughs and over-the-top action and dialogue to keep you engaged until the film's credits.
One of the film's strongest points is undoubtedly its style and direction. While it borrows heavily from the blaxploitation genre, "Dynamite" isn't just some simple cookie-cutter genre clone; instead it mixes enough unique style to give you the feeling of familiarity, but with the rush of seeing something fresh.
Another strong point is the film's crisp dialogue and odd brand of humor. One part "Hot Shots" mixed with one part "Undercover Brother," "Dynamite" takes an odd sense of comedy that some may fail to appreciate.
In a comedic world dominated by films such as "The Hangover," this film's brand of humor falls outside of the mainstream spotlight - and that certainly isn't a bad thing. While it wields sexism, racism and plenty of violence and sex to tell its tale, "Dynamite" still provides a fresh break from the "Seth Rogan assault on comedy" - ironic considering that this film's material of inspiration is well over 40 years old.
To look closer, the film's comedic nucleus rests in the heart of Michael Jai White's awesome dialogue. Equipped with more one-liners than David Caruso, there are several points in the film where you stop yourself and say "Wow, I've got to remember that one" and try your best to file White's smooth-talking truths away for a later date.
While the cast may have contained few big-name stars, that certainly doesn't matter in this case. All roles were played with ease, and with some of the plot dripping with humor, it really shouldn't have been too hard to pull off.
However, don't let me downplay the exceptional job White did as Black Dynamite. Sure, he wasn't nominated for an Oscar, but many say that comedy is one of the hardest acts in show business to pull off. He may not have revolutionized the industry as we know it, but White was able to command a strong screen presence and deliver his lines without hamming it up to the point where the film was sophomoric.
With all its twists and turns, kung fu and shootouts, "Black Dynamite" succeeds at just being a fun film to watch. While I wouldn't recommend watching it with your grandmother, there may be no better "spring break time-killer" to watch than "Black Dynamite," dig?
A resurrection of the "blaxploitation" genre made famous by characters like Shaft, "Dynamite" infuses the roots of cheesy 1970s era action with a modern tongue-in-cheek
twist.
When his kid brother is killed on the streets, Black Dynamite declares war on drugs and vows to clean up his community. Black Dynamite's journey will lead him through a serious of twists and turns, with plenty of laughs and over-the-top action and dialogue to keep you engaged until the film's credits.
One of the film's strongest points is undoubtedly its style and direction. While it borrows heavily from the blaxploitation genre, "Dynamite" isn't just some simple cookie-cutter genre clone; instead it mixes enough unique style to give you the feeling of familiarity, but with the rush of seeing something fresh.
Another strong point is the film's crisp dialogue and odd brand of humor. One part "Hot Shots" mixed with one part "Undercover Brother," "Dynamite" takes an odd sense of comedy that some may fail to appreciate.
In a comedic world dominated by films such as "The Hangover," this film's brand of humor falls outside of the mainstream spotlight - and that certainly isn't a bad thing. While it wields sexism, racism and plenty of violence and sex to tell its tale, "Dynamite" still provides a fresh break from the "Seth Rogan assault on comedy" - ironic considering that this film's material of inspiration is well over 40 years old.
To look closer, the film's comedic nucleus rests in the heart of Michael Jai White's awesome dialogue. Equipped with more one-liners than David Caruso, there are several points in the film where you stop yourself and say "Wow, I've got to remember that one" and try your best to file White's smooth-talking truths away for a later date.
While the cast may have contained few big-name stars, that certainly doesn't matter in this case. All roles were played with ease, and with some of the plot dripping with humor, it really shouldn't have been too hard to pull off.
However, don't let me downplay the exceptional job White did as Black Dynamite. Sure, he wasn't nominated for an Oscar, but many say that comedy is one of the hardest acts in show business to pull off. He may not have revolutionized the industry as we know it, but White was able to command a strong screen presence and deliver his lines without hamming it up to the point where the film was sophomoric.
With all its twists and turns, kung fu and shootouts, "Black Dynamite" succeeds at just being a fun film to watch. While I wouldn't recommend watching it with your grandmother, there may be no better "spring break time-killer" to watch than "Black Dynamite," dig?
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