7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
Black Dynamite: a gun-toting, nunchuck-wielding, ladies man and soul brother. When "The Man" murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.
Starring: Michael Jai White, Obba Babatundé, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson, Richard EdsonDark humor | 100% |
Martial arts | 50% |
Crime | 42% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Who the hell is interrupting my Kung Fu?
Black Dynamite. The name says it all. He's black, and he's dynamite. A bad man who's
explosive with the ladies, a master of deadly weapons, a smooth operator, and sportin' a
freshly-picked 'fro, Black Dynamite got a harsh background but a tender soul that both have
allowed him to make
it in the world, and he don't take no
you-know-what from no fool, neither, whether on the streets, the jungles of "China," or in the
bedroom. Yeah, this brotha got it all goin' on. He got boo koo respect, he bring fear into the
eyes
of all who cross him, soul brotha' got him some brain power, and he's out to clean up the mean
streets
once and for all, a mission that will take him around the world and into the den of "The Man"
himself, and he's ready to kick some and take names if it means no brotha from a different
motha
ain't never gonna be hooked on no smack again, and the stock of malt liquor's finally safe to
drink.
Black
Dynamite: hero of the oppressed, villain
of the oppressor, and star of his very own movie that's a laugh riot of a "Blaxploitation"
Parody/Homage
and one of the funniest films of 2009. What? This $#!( ain't real?
Dyn-o-mite! Dyn-o-mite!
Black Dynamite takes his fight to The Man in high definition, Sony's 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer a glorious rendition of the film that's faithful to its gritty source. Black Dynamite looks like a product of its era, with contrast and color reproduction that are all over the map, sometimes lending to the picture a yellow tint, and at other times a decidedly green tint, with flesh tones often following suit, ranging from pasty and light to decidedly red and everything in between. Nevertheless, color reproduction is exceptional considering the source, with many shades offering a vibrant, eye-popping appearance. The film is most readily identifiable through its heavy grain field, a result of the 16mm film stock utilized to lend to the picture its period appearance. Additionally, the transfer does suffer through a few warts in the form of white speckles and some intermittent debris on the newly-minted footage, though it only adds to the feel of the picture, intentional or not. In addition to newly-shot material, Black Dynamite incorporates several pieces of stock footage and shots from older films that offer a slightly more rough texturing but nevertheless fit almost seamlessly in with the bulk of the picture. Fine detail is solid across the board considering the wavering contrast and heavy grain field; viewers will note paint streaks on walls, fine stitches in the period clothing, and the rougher textures of various stone and brick surfaces as seen in certain scenes throughout. The transfer does exhibit some overwhelming blacks that dominate the screen and devour detail, though again this seems more in-line with the throwback look and feel of the movie and the film stock used rather than any technical fault of Sony's fantastic and accurate 1080p transfer.
Black Dynamite revs up on Blu-ray with a powerhouse DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film's extensive use of 70s-style beats are splendidly reproduced with each note, the music and the pulsating low end in particular penetrating the soundstage with a richness and abundance of clarity that's probably about the best this style of music has ever sounded for home consumption. Indeed, the track enjoys a natural flow that allows it to spread out nicely about the soundstage; atmospherics are more focused across the front but nevertheless exceptionally clear and perfectly balanced, with hints of back channel support for a pleasant but not particularly aggressive or head-spinning listen. Extensive, loud surround use is limited to several scenes in support of some of the more ambitious action pieces and gunplay. Speaking of, gunfire is crisp and nicely realized, powerful but not overwhelming, each shot delivering a devastating blow that's nicely balanced with the remainder of the track's attributes. The film's low end -- whether the aforementioned music, gunshots, or some other source -- is consistently strong and unwavering in its delivery of all that's asked of it. Additionally, dialogue reproduction is consistently smooth and trouble-free. Though not the most ambitious or exciting track, Black Dynamite's lossless DTS offering makes for a wonderful companion to the film's visual and thematic tone.
Black Dynamite rolls onto Blu-ray with a few assorted extras. First up is a commentary track with Director/Co-Writer Scott Sanders and Actors/Co-Writers Michael Jai White and Byron Minns. The track is delivered firmly and positively, the participants sharing an array of information on the sorts of actors that were cast in classic Blaxploitation pictures, the use of stock footage in the film, the film's many nods and homage to genre pictures past, shooting locations, the performances of the cast, and much more. The track is free-flowing and fun; fans of the film are encouraged to give it a listen. Lighting the Fuse (1080p, 22:48) features cast and crew discussing the film's origins, White's inspirations for the picture, a makeshift promotional trailer, the development of the characters, establishing a look and tone for the picture, costume design, shooting with 16mm film, editing the film for flow, the music, and more. The '70s: Back in Action (1080p, 14:13) features the cast and crew reminiscing about the 1970s and discussing what decade influences found their way into the film from the era of Blaxploitation cinema. The Comic-Con Experience (1080i, 18:04) takes viewers to the film's Comic-Con press conference. Featured speakers include Director/Co-Writer Scott Sanders, Actors/Co-Writers Michael Jai White and Byron Minns, and Actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Also included is a collection of 17 deleted and alternate scenes (480p, 25:15); BD-Live functionality; Sony's MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for The Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Halloween II, Kung Fu Hustle, Moon, Snatch, Soul Power, "Breaking Bad," Michael Jackson's This is It, and Zombieland.
Black Dynamite is an awful movie taken at face value, but as a Parody of and Homage to Blaxploitation cinema, it's a work of art. Its story line is fun and gradually degrades into absolute mayhem; its characters are stereotypes in every way imaginable; its soundtrack, set design, and costuming represent seamless recreations of 70s style; and its technical qualities never show even a hint that the movie isn't a product of its era. As such, Black Dynamite is a quintessential Parody/Homage picture. Not at all a Parody in the Naked Gun or Spaceballs style where external influences and out-of-place gimmicks lend part of the humor to those movies, Black Dynamite instead earns its stripes as an out-and-out faithful replica of a long-gone era and as such offers something of a unique and novel twist on both the Parody and Blaxploitation genres, not to mention that it's a breath of fresh air in a Hollywood that's fairly stale and devoid of all that many new ideas. Sony's Blu-ray release might be lacking a more comprehensive supplemental package, but the disc does offer beautifully faithful video and a strong lossless soundtrack. Black Dynamite is a film aimed at mature audiences, the picture dealing in adult situations, language, and capturing the spirit of decades-old pictures that were and are themselves not meant for children. Still, Black Dynamite comes highly recommended to age-appropriate viewers.
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