"Watch out, Shaft! Black Dynamite's in town!" is what I would write if I did was not raised to honor and respect the private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks.
(And had a lack of respect for myself). Regardless, Black Dynamite proves itself a worthy successor to the blaxploitation classic, and wouldn't be out of place on a double bill, although, Dolemite is the more obvious comparison film. Black Dynamite is also the hardest I've laughed during a movie all year. In the good ways, too!
Black Dynamite is both a cheeky parody and a loving homage to the blaxploitation films of yesteryear. From the poor production design, to the mistakes left in.
From gratuitous nudity to the big names used in just one scene, it all adds up to a movie that's in on the joke, but doesn't think it's better than what it's making fun of. It might not be able to sustain the joke the whole way through, but it's thoroughly entertaining enough in it's own right, and nowhere near as arch as it could be.
Michael Jai White plays Black Dynamite, a pimp and a hustler, who is skilled in kung fu and kicking ass. He has a blackbelt in TCB. (Takin Care of Business, for those who are out of the loop). He's also accompanied by an awesome musical sting that lets you know Dynamite is about to do (or just did) something cool. When we begin the adventure, Black Dynamite's brother is killed. Since he promised their mother on her deathbed that he would protect his brother, Black Dynamite goes on a rampage.
Along his journey of kicking ass and taking names, Black Dynamite encounters a social worker, who informs him of the increasing smack problem that's overtaking the local orphanage. Infuriated, Black Dynamite sets out to clean up the streets, and fight smack in the orphanage! This leads to a fantastic scene full of actors you love in ridiculous outfits, with hilarious results.
The plot isn't really what's important. Hell, about 2/3 into the movie they sort of run out of things to do. (Although they make up for it with a spectacularly gonzo final battle that involves two former presidents AND nunchucks!) What matters is the affection for the characters, and the genre that the filmmakers put in. Sure, it's easy to make fun of Shaft and Dolemite, but do you have any idea how difficult it is to create an entirely new hero of the same genre, and not have be a pale imitation?
Credit goes to co-writer/director Scott Sanders, and to Black Dynamite himself, Michael Jai White. White has this remarkable ability to play it straight while winking at the camera. On top of that, he really can kick as much ass as his on screen persona, and he takes great pride in showing you his kung fu skill. (Between this, and Blood and Bone, I'm starting to question why he doesn't have a career as big as Van Damme at the very least. the man knows his kung fu is better than yours).
Love should also be shone upon the music selection for the film, which contains a whole lot of badass funk, in addition to hilarious musical interludes with lyrics that literally point out what's happening before your very eyes. It's kind of ridiculous, but there are many previous films in this genre that pulled off the same thing, while being absolutely serious about it.
Have I mentioned how damn funny the whole thing is? There's one scene that's a slice of pure comic gold. It involves Black Dynamite and his crew at a diner, figuring out the plot of the film. How they come to their realizations (and payoff a joke from a half hour earlier) is achieved with such wit and brilliance, that the joke became sublime, and I was crying with laughter. Pure Comic Gold.
I feel I'm leaving so much out, but this film is a treat to discover. Whereas Black Dynamite could have been a one-off-should-be-an-SNL-sketch, or a retread of Undercover Brother, instead we get a treat that loves blaxploitation films and the fans, and wants to make room for one more hero on that mantle. "DY-NO-MITE!"
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