I tried. I really did try to love it. Black Dynamite is a loving send up of blaxploitation films of the 70's commonly associated with their shoddy production quality, their inevitable villain of "the man," and lots of breasts. There was a lot of stuff I liked about the filme, but it just fell flat for me. FLAT. And I totally know what they were going for. Blaxploitationn films are supposed to have that grainy look, that ridiculous plot contrivance, and sickening story exposition. And I can commend the filmmakers (dir. Scott Sanders, writers Sanders, Byron Minns, and Michael Jai White) on their aesthetic. It genuinely felt authentic and real, but this film managed only a couple of genuine chuckles. However, there were plenty of people (predominantly white) in the theater letting out voluminous belly laughter at some of the film's more broader comedic moments like when Black Dynamite busts down a door, sending an elderly woman flying across the screen.
For the most part, this movies just fell short of the mark for me. Cheifly, because I'm into more clever, less broad comedy. Still, what saved Black Dynamite from me hitting the old trail was Michael Jai White's performance. He was definitely entertaining. He plays it without winking at you; it's just straight up and down commitment to the character. And his violent explosions are too much fun not to guffaw over. Also, it's nice to see so many black people in one movie. Literally, I recognized every actor in here which is pretty sad I think. Well acted though and you can feel the amount of fun they had. Too bad the demographic of which this film reflects probably don't know of its existence. Bottom Line, it didn't do much for me, but comedy is so hit and miss. I don't share the same sense of humor as the filmmaker, but the movie is good enough for me to recommend to someone who does.
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