Exceptional satire of '70s black action, which knows how to simultaneously mock and celebrate everything both hilarious and great about the flicks while including the audience in the joke - but not above it. I found it smart, perfectly cast and consistently funny and even in tone. The performers all understand the particular style of acting involved, and relish the stilted phrasing and self-conscious speech patterns they are emulating.
Michael Jai White is just great as Black Dynamite, the best Vietnam vet kung fu expert the CIA ever had. He even emulates both Jim Kelly and Bruce Lee. The former with his distinctive kiai and posing, and some characteristic Lee moves such as the no-look throat stomp & twist, and the ceiling light fixture kick from a standing position.
Tommy Davidson is still doing his Antonio Fargas impression, but that was the only character that felt a little tired. There is also a Dolemite takeoff named Bullhorn, Honeybee - a hooker supreme like Queen Bee from The Human Tornado, and Arsenio Hall leading a reenactment of the pimp summit from Willie Dynamite. You also get Nicole Sullivan from Mad TV as Pat Nixon, and Cedric Yarbrough from Reno 911 as an hilariously literal-minded pimp named Chocolate Giddy-Up.
This is much less broad in comedy, for the most part, than previous satires of these films. It also goes much deeper in terms of satirizing the editing, choreography, and sound design. The soundtrack emulates many of the greats such as Quincy Jones, Isaac Hayes and Willie Hutch by using such conventions as having songs commenting on the action on screen in the manner of a Greek chorus, and explicit love ballads.
The Yuan brothers action choreography and stunts are superior to almost anything from the real period, and are done with a lot of clear effort made to produce something exciting as well as authentic. No wonder, since Michael Jai White is already a very good martial artist, as is Roger Yuan as the Fiendish Dr. Wu.
In general, this film never takes the easy route of assuming a superiority to its source material. It would be much more simple to depict '70s black action movies as bad, and slap together a jokey homage. Rather, this film puts considerable effort into showcasing what made them unique while also making a good film that stands on its own.
Michael Jai White is just great as Black Dynamite, the best Vietnam vet kung fu expert the CIA ever had. He even emulates both Jim Kelly and Bruce Lee. The former with his distinctive kiai and posing, and some characteristic Lee moves such as the no-look throat stomp & twist, and the ceiling light fixture kick from a standing position.
Tommy Davidson is still doing his Antonio Fargas impression, but that was the only character that felt a little tired. There is also a Dolemite takeoff named Bullhorn, Honeybee - a hooker supreme like Queen Bee from The Human Tornado, and Arsenio Hall leading a reenactment of the pimp summit from Willie Dynamite. You also get Nicole Sullivan from Mad TV as Pat Nixon, and Cedric Yarbrough from Reno 911 as an hilariously literal-minded pimp named Chocolate Giddy-Up.
This is much less broad in comedy, for the most part, than previous satires of these films. It also goes much deeper in terms of satirizing the editing, choreography, and sound design. The soundtrack emulates many of the greats such as Quincy Jones, Isaac Hayes and Willie Hutch by using such conventions as having songs commenting on the action on screen in the manner of a Greek chorus, and explicit love ballads.
The Yuan brothers action choreography and stunts are superior to almost anything from the real period, and are done with a lot of clear effort made to produce something exciting as well as authentic. No wonder, since Michael Jai White is already a very good martial artist, as is Roger Yuan as the Fiendish Dr. Wu.
In general, this film never takes the easy route of assuming a superiority to its source material. It would be much more simple to depict '70s black action movies as bad, and slap together a jokey homage. Rather, this film puts considerable effort into showcasing what made them unique while also making a good film that stands on its own.