There was a period during the early to mid 90's when black movie makers were making films that displayed the destructive mentality being bred by poverty and overtly disparate social conditions in low income black neighborhoods. This trend was set by the huge sucess of "Boys 'N' the Hood" which subsequent similar movies tried to mimmick. In a few cases their attempt to make America aware of something it turns its eyes away from, was sucessful. In others, what comes through is an action movie glorifying gangsters, drug dealers and murderers. Even with all of the small "messages" thrown into these movies for good measure, the hype and commercialization of the "ghetto lifestyle" is the main focus.
In the midst of the rash of these sorts of films, "Menace II Society" stands out simply because of quality and realism. The scene set in the Watts district of Los Angeles is pretty close to home as far as character and mannerisms. The two main characters Loc Dog and Cain pretty much accurately portray what you would expect of teenage knuckle heads influenced by hardcore gangsters a generation ahead of them.
Loc Dog struts around in tank tops and Khakis with his boxer shorts sticking out the back, a menacing furrowed brow and braids hanging in his face to further alienate his persona. Cain follows him around, wanting to be bad but with an apparent sense of whats right and wrong, hoping his foolish friend won't pull him too far over the edge.
They get into a lot of trouble (the way they do in all of these types of movies) and the movie ends with the required "shocker" that meets the standard prerequisite for a movie about the hood. Even though I think this movie adheres to a few over used stereotypes, it was one of the first to use them and definitely well done.
Unfortunately in this world of rabid commercialism and the over all rule of monetary gain, the recipe for a good, informative movie can not be complete without a generous seasoning of sensationalism. These movies sometimes spend far too much time entertaining than informing and enlightening. Flashy cars, guns, promiscuous women, drugs, robberies etc. These sorts of things are made to look cool with wild camera angles, music and imagery while it is also supposedly being frowned upon in the same movie. In other words, the very same movie that is apparently making you aware of these societal detriments is glorifying them in order to keep you watching.
So what you come away with is an ambiguous lesson and a romantic, starry eyed view of how cool it is to be a gangster, riding in crome plated rims with a nine in yo' waist and one of yo' byatches in the passenger seat.
THE VERDICT
With an interesting story line, great acting and directing, I think this is one of the best movies of its kind. I would definitely recommend being receptive to the message that is buried beneath some of the glamour that is involved.
Vivid documentary-like anecdotes focusing on a homeboy who is a sociopathic killer and another who tells the story of how their parents' lives also fe...More at Family Video
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