Black Dynamite

Scott Sanders

BY Philip BrownPublished Feb 10, 2010

Black Dynamite is a loving recreation of blaxploitation cinema that nails the details so perfectly that anyone stumbling across it on late night television will most likely assume it's a genuine '70s trash classic. The filmmakers have crafted a movie that perfectly walks the line between parody and homage. There isn't a single scene played without a tongue placed firmly in cheek, but at the same time, it's clear that everyone involved in the project loves the source material. It's also one of the funniest films of 2009 and works so well that audiences will pee their pants with laughter even if they're completely unfamiliar with the genre. The movie tells the tale of Black Dynamite, a general all around ass-kicker who refers to himself as "the best C.I.A. agent that the C.I.A. ever had in the C.I.A." Mr. Dynamite sets out on a quest to avenge his brother's death in an action packed journey that sees him fight pimps, cops, malt liquor dealers and Richard Nixon. It's all silly hokum, but deliberately so. Bad filmmaking has never been done so well, with a constant barrage of lame dialogue, kung fu, gratuitous nudity, absurd misogyny, continuity errors and wonky camerawork getting laughs in every scene. Cult infamy and a sequel are practically guaranteed. After a brief and sadly ignored theatrical run, Black Dynamite arrives on DVD where it should quickly amass a fan base. The disc comes packed with extras. An audio commentary and two documentaries pull the key players together and their love of the movie is palpable. A handful of deleted scenes are just as funny as anything seen in the film and prove that there is plenty of steam left for a sequel if the team can find the money. Even if you've never heard the word "blaxploitation" before, this movie is guaranteed to have you giggling with delight. Black Dynamite just might be the best parody film since Airplane.
(Sony)

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