Runtime:
89 minutes
Directed
by: Gordon Parks
Starring:
Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, Jim Kelly, Alex Rocco
From:
Allied Artists
As
I had nothing to really watch tonight, I decided to go back to that 4
movie set of Blaxploitation films I got earlier in the year, i.e. the
set that had Black Belt Jones. Well, another film in there also
happens to star Jim Kelly... along with Jim Brown and Fred
Williamson. Now there's an awesome trio. I heard from a messageboard
that the movie is quite amazing and filled with the sort of things
that a 12 year old would like. That could mean a variety of things so
I was interested in it.
The
plot, from the IMDb: “The story revolves around a white supremacist plot to taint the United State water supply with a toxin that is
harmless to whites but lethal to blacks. The only obstacles that
stand in the way of this dastadrly plot are Jim Brown, Fred
Williamson and Jim Kelly, who shoot, kick, and karate chop their way
to final victory.”
This
film... I am actually unsure how to rate it. There are things I
enjoyed, for sure. But there are also plenty of dumb moments, which
is one thing... but there's also bad plot moments that left me
puzzled. There are plenty of sons of bitches who get shot down or die
in vehicle explosions (they happen easily) or die via martial arts.
But I thought too often if there was something I was missing as the
plot made no sense; I wondered why the heroes didn't elaborate for
further information to try and solve the case, or why a lackey for
the good guys didn't explain more about the bad guy's plot. I laughed
at the villain being named Monroe Feather and yet I wondered why the
movie is so dumb it'll have you believe that it's easy to transport a
70's van filled with weapons on a cargo plane... AND for reasons
unknown to me that van is usually a bright blue GMC Vandura, and
other times it's a bright blue Ford Econoline. Those two vans look
nothing alike, and yet the film wants you to believe they're the same
vehicle. What in the shi...
It's
things like that which I don't expect from the director of the
original Shaft, you know. That's why I felt disappointed with this,
despite there being a good amount of fun action to watch. I did laugh
at some things, but not enough. Corbin Bernsen has a real small role
in this, because his dad produced this film. There are characters who
look like Sharlto Copley and a skinnier Cee-Lo. And my favorite...
The
heroes get a lackey of the bad guys and keep him at their place. One
of them hires a trio of bikers... lady bikers, who show up and they
go and meet the lackey... and then take off their tops for no reason
at all. Not that I'm complaining about them being topless. It's
implied they sexually torture that guy. Then after two of the heroes
briefly talk to him, the ladies show back up, and the lackey
literally dies of fright! I'll admit that was great. Unfortunately, I
wish I could have loved this more than I did.
I'll
be back Friday night. I hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving.
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