Thursday, December 16, 2010

Black Dynamite (2009)

Somehow, I have not yet written of Black Dynamite.

Black Dynamite was unexpected. Black Dynamite is co-written by and stars Michael Jai White. When I think of Michael Jai White, who played the lead role in Spawn and, more recently, was on hand just long enough to be killed by the Joker in The Dark Knight, I don't think "Now there's a first-rate comedy writer and actor." Maybe I'm crazy, but to me he just doesn't look the part.

Trust me, this man is hilarious on purpose.

A lot of people did not get down with Black Dyamite, but I thought that Black Dynamite was the funnest movie that I have seen in a long time. I'm talking that kind of embarrassing "I can't breathe" honking laughter that had barely troubled me since I was a small child. That's right -- Black Dynamite is Road Runner funny.

Black Dynamite tells the story of a man called Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) and how raises hell when his younger brother is killed by drug dealers. Black Dynamite is like a combination of Shaft, Dolemite and Hammer.



A lot of people did not get down with Black Dyamite, but I thought that Black Dynamite was the funnest movie that I have seen in a long time. I'm talking that kind of embarrassing "I can't breathe" honking laughter that had barely troubled me since I was a small child. That's right -- Black Dynamite is Road Runner funny.

Amid the many laughs, Black Dynamite actually has a fairly complicated plot that kept me engaged throughout. The supporting cast is also very funny, especially Tommy Davidson as Cream Corn.

Aesculapius, of course. He had a staff with snakes intertwining all around that bitch. They called it Aesculapius' staff. It's a symbol the medical field uses to this day.

The movie also has a great funk/soul soundtrack that amusingly describes the action as it happens.

Look, I can't possibly tell you if you are going to enjoy this movie or not (unless your name is Bruce Norris, in which case you've surely already seen it). If you enjoy blaxploitation movies, especially the cheap ones, you'll almost certainly get a kick out of it.

Here's a clip that I found hilarious in context, but which might just make you scratch your head and say, "What?"





This poster does not make it clear that Black Dynamite is a comedy

2 comments:

  1. Damn I'm glad you liked this movie, man. You're right, people seem to go either way on it. I saw it on my own, and laughed my head off - and I NEVER laugh when I'm watching films on my own (don't know why).

    Black Dynamite "doing his kung fu" at home was a highlight. So were the flashback scenes, where he's a little kid but his name is obviously still "Black Dynamite".

    Dy-no-mite! Dy-no-mite!!

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  2. I've been saving it for my Xmas day viewing schedule. Which has just about sorted itself out. It looks great, on so many levels.

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