Black Dynamite

B

Black Dynamite (2009)
Written by Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Scott Sanders
Directed by Scott Sanders
Starring Michael Jai White, Obba Babatunde, Tommy Davidson, numerous B and C list black actors.  Oh, and Captain Kangaroo Pimp

Synopsis
When he's not satisfying multiple bitches simultaneously, Black Dynamite saves his community from drugs sold by his own people as well as a nefarious plot by outside elements.



Woman
totally awesome. it was waaaaayyy subtler than i expected it to be. not being a blaxploitation expert (i think my roster only includes mahogany, and coffee and a black militant gang in switchblade sisters) i think with a few edits here and there it could pass for real. i laughed out loud several times, and the names of the characters were almost the best part i.e. cream corn, nefarious dr. wu, and my personal favorite, captain kangaroo pimp. although totally different it made me crave pootie tang. heyyyy pootie!

MOster
This was a good time.  It was smart satire; it didn't delve into the depths of idiocy occupied by those responsible for the likes of Dance Movie.  (i.e. it was actual satire.)  It was evident that everybody involved in making this was having a blast.

What the filmmakers did so well was to start with a respect and love for their source material and develop that into something with just the right level of send-up.  The film looked and felt like a blaxploitation piece but it was evident that the black people were in charge.  From the brown color palette through the shag carpets, beaded curtains, and gigantic afros little on the surface betrays the notion that this isn't actually a movie from that time.  The car chases and other action pieces were just over the top enough.  Good choices begat good choices.

Acting was right there with everything else, with White giving us a perfect Dynamite.  His line-reads when he chides his aunt for interrupting his kung fu are exactly what you'd want to see, and that scene is just one example of where the producers could have taken things to the stupid place but didn't.  While the female characters weren't treated much better than they were in the source material the female actors sold their parts with just enough of a wink that we knew it was all OK.

By no means was this high art; but it was art, and I think it would have stirred some shit if it had been made 25 years ago.  You should totally watch this movie.