Thanks for checking out our Black Dynamite review. If you’d like to see a video version of the Black Dynamite review, you can watch it at the bottom of this post.
Since the trailer first emerged with the classic line – BLACK DYNAMITE: “I’m going to declare war on anyone who sells drugs in our community”. PIMP: “But Black Dynamite, I sell drugs to the community”, my anticipation level for Black Dynamite was through the roof. However, my anticipation was tempered by the fact that the movie looked like it would be better served as a set of Saturday Night Live skits rather than a full length feature film and would ultimately not live up to the trailer. I was invited to the premiere of the film last night and off I went, excited but not holding my breath. Did Black Dynamite deliver? You bet your jive turkey ass it did!
THE GENERAL IDEA
The synopsis for Black Dynamite reads something like this: “This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.”
THE GOOD
I always say the most important thing a comedy must accomplish is making the audience laugh. Almost everything else can be forgiven if you make the audience laugh. Well… Black Dynamite may not accomplish much else as a feature film, but dear heavens IT MAKES YOU LAUGH. This movie is flat out hilarious. I literally lost count how many time it made me burst out… and when I wasn’t laughing hysterically I was grinning from ear to ear most of the time.
This is the most quotable movie I’ve seen since “Army of Darkness”. Every single scene holds at least one immortal line. The only problem is that there are so many of these fantastic one liners, you forget most of them. As a matter of fact that’s essentially what this movie is… a big container for all these magnificent one liners. If you see this movie with a group of friends, I guarantee you you’ll be quoting lines from this movie to each other for a LONG time.
Michael Jai White was magnificent. No seriously, this guy throws the movie on his back (that he also co-wrote) and single handedly makes it work. Not only from the way he delivered the incredibly funny dialog, but also for his kung-fu (as it’s called in the movie). White is a legitimate pure action star in the making. I can easily see him transitioning out of this film into legit mainstream action films.
THE BAD
This is not a long film, but it really should have been about 10-12 minutes shorter. As I feared, the movie starts to feel played out by a certain point, and goes from hilarious parody, into just plain silliness that I think it honestly could have done without. By the time you get to the end and they reveal who the BIG bad guy is, it lost me. Oh there are still some solid one liners in the last 10 minutes, but even they lost a little of their effectiveness as the film started to feel a little more like “Disaster Movie” than anything else. But do keep in mind, that’s only once you get into the last 10-15 minutes.
OVERALL
Black Dynamite is a hilarious parody of the 70’s blacksploitation films filled with fantastic one liners and impressive martial arts that you and your friends will be quoting for a long time. It starts to lose a lot of its steam near the end of the film, but by then you’ve already had a great time. Michael Jai White will be a star, you can quote me on that. Overall I give Black Dynamite an 8.5 out of 10.
You can see the video version of our Black Dynamite review below:
This movie was terrible. No, it was actually just stupid. Rather than make me identify with the victim which generally as someone with liberal persuasion I do more often than not, this movie made me resent the main character and I found myself scoffing at the alleged conspiracy theories. There has to be a better way to get social points across than regress into utter retardation.
This movie is made to be rediculous. And its a throwback to blaxploitation films which often created and over exposed social issues to begin with.
Trying to find logic in a film that is made to be silly rediculous is like cursing Meet the Spartans for lacking drama and warmth.
My son would love to see this!
Hey John, is Black Dynamite kinda like Planet Terror? I know it’s not a horror movie but does it have the same sort of homage fell to it? I have been on the fence about this movie but if it’s like that I would love to see it.
micheal jai white is no one new to films and its funny that u say he is a legit action star….ya sure if u like mockining everything that is wrong with american culture…to bad he couldnt save SPAWN lol fail…funny thing is this movie will not clean up the dismal effect that hip hop has played on the african american society….black explotation worked in the 70’s cause at the time it wasnt cool to be black….times have changed and one step on a high school will show you that the african american way of life that most the general population looks down on is actually what is considered cool…..just look at lil wayne…who else do u know who has tattoos that say i have killed someone yet he never has…hey i call it as i see it and this movie will do nothing but make a mockerey of what is actually relevent to todays society.
Hey there’s one thing and on thing only that is the soul reason for the majority of black people America living and acting the way we do. And that is EDUCATION. And you can take that shit up with the government. If you keep a race stupid and uneducated, they are never a threat. This is one of the reasons why Lincoln was killed. He wasn’t just going to free us and say “now get the fuck outa here. Go be free or whatever.” No. The man had a plan. He would free us, then get us jobs and put the children in schools and get them good educations so they could become valuable members of society.
That didn’t happen obviously. He got shot, we stayed ignorant, kept getting put down and now when you think about black people, images of ghetto, ignorant, angry, cruel, loud and obnoxious people come to mind. That or the artist who profit in some way off of that image.
My point is, it’s not the movie that is wrong. Go to the real source. Don’t get mad every time you see something mocking a black ideal.
WHATS THE REAL SOURCE? PLAIN STUPIDITY? WHATS REALLY CRAZY IS SPIKE LEE ISNT COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS FILM…..say what u want i live in oakland and there are good teachers and parents …but even that doesnt change the homicide rate….spewing crap about lincoln makes me laugh at you in so many ways
Correct me if I’m wrong but Michael Jai White has been acting since like 1989, Usually when you use the term “this guy is going to be a big star” it’s usually a newcomer, I’ve seen him in a whole lot of things but still in the 20 years of acting he hasn’t broke through as really big star. I hope for the best for the guy and what I’ve seen him in he’s been pretty good at his parts.
yea, wasn’t he in one of the first comic book movies in SPAWN?? loved that movie by the way..John Leguazomo(sp?) is great as the evil clown too..
also he played Gamble in TDK last summer..
You’re right, he’s had a career spanning almost 20 years, but I’ve never been impressed with him, until the Joker killed him.
I would like to have seen a Zombieland review instead. Well?
It was reviewed in the last podcast
Looks sweet.
fred williamson, though he hasn’t seen the movie, hates the premise because it is a comedy. he doesn’t believe a comedy can do blaxploitation movies justice.
blaxploitation can be anything, just like any other movies…. Well, that’s my opinion
Fred Williamson can go screw himself. I hate to break the news to him but if you go back and watch most of the blaxploitation era movies you’d laugh your ass off they were so low budget. Black Dynamite is more Dolemite than Black Caesar anyway.
This movie looks so hilarious! I’m glad you are able to confirm the hilarity! LoL
See you’re trying a new hair style there.
you coulve given this a 1 out of 10 and i still wouldve seen it….cant wait, one of my most anticipated movies of the year
Undercover Brother is perhaps even a more silly version of Black Dynamite. The movie itself looks like fun.
indeed! And the catfight(in Undercover Brother)is priceless.
Undercover brother is corny.
Wasn’t that the point?
Wait…I’ve never even heard of this. Is this a limited release?
I think I’ve heard of it, not sure. It’s actually kinda nice to see TMB reviewing those kinda films
…THOSE kinda films….????
@Fode hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahahahahahahaaha Chill out man. I’m black and I didn’t even take it that way.
I don’t think he meant “those black people films”…which…just..wtf?
More like…the limited releases.