Screenplay by Michael Jai White & Byron Minns & Scott Sanders
Directed by Scott Sanders
Black Dynamite is hilarious. Anything you've heard about any other movie being the funniest film of 2009 is pure lies. It's a little bit Enter the Dragon and a little bit Shaft by way of something like Young Frankenstein, where the films being made fun of are both shown respect and ripped to shreds. It is the mid-1970's and Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a former CIA operative and Vietnam veteran who just wants his streets cleaned up. For too long 'the man' has been pushing drugs and guns on his people (including orphans!) and to end it, he'll go to any lengths necessary. This of course means shooting a whole bunch of people (in amazingly fake ways) and using kung fu (at which he has no equal). Needless to say, the plot hardly matters but it is refreshing to find an absurdist comedy that doesn't just ignore plot, but uses it as a tool for comedy.
Where films like Undercover Brother and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist failed in capturing a mix of humor and the blaxsploitation / kung fu cinema style, this one succeeds. It is the best period-parody film since 2001's Wet Hot American Summer. When Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez made their 2007 Grindhouse project they focused so much on the scratches and lost reels of film that they lost what made those films fun- bad acting and genuine errors from filmmakers just trying to make the best film they can with the budget they have. 'Dynamite' understands this and knows how to let the joke be the sincere attempt at greatness. One scene which has the only boom-mic in shot joke in the film succeeds because of the actor's uncertainty whether to continue after it hits his afro. Within a beat he looks around and then gets back in character and delivers the scene. It's a quick moment and is relatively subtle as far as boom-mic jokes go making that much funnier.
Cameos abound in the film; Arsenio Hall, Cedric Yarborough, Richard Edson and Brian McKnight all make appearances. Forgotten comedian Tommy Davidson also has a role in the film as “Creamed Corn”, a pimp who assists Dynamite. Davidson may be the weak link in the bunch, but each is obviously enjoying their chance to chew scenery and make a dedication to the films they (probably) grew up watching. Everyone involved was clearly approaching the film from a place of love, especially Jai White, who carries the film. He is clearly following the lesson of original blaxsploitation filmmakers like Melvin Van Peebles that if you want to make a movie you just make the damn movie. If one was not in on the joke, they could take the film as a serious attempt at this type of cinema.
The Kentucky Fried Movie may have been first in parodying this entire genre of film, but Black Dynamite has become a welcome addition. The movie actually includes the line “First Lady, I'm sorry I pimp slapped you into that china cabinet” and a shootout in a donut shop. A few people have talked of how the joke stretches a bit long and that the film has effectively outstayed its welcome by the time Black Dynamite leaves Kung Fu Island. But I would say the joke going further is necessary to truly capture the laborious experience of watching one of these films. It is at this point that the film does have it's one “out of character” effects shot, but I'm willing to forgive it for the ridiculous way they cheat their filming locations in the final sequence and the final battle that takes place afterward.
This reviewer is a tough sell for comedies- a smirk or chuckle one will normally get out of me. Here there was no shortage of genuinely laughing out loud. To ruin the many gags (often as subtle as a certain look or line delivery) would be a sin so let's leave it at “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Black Dynamite are a double feature made in heaven”. The rewatchability of the latter may even come close to the former. For fans of both Bruce Lee and silly.
**** Four Stars - Definitely see this film
Black Dynamite will be released on DVD and Blu-ray disc on February 16th, 2010.
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