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When his Parisian armored car holdup goes horribly awry, our protagonist Black needs to go on the lam. News from his cousin in Senegal about a stash of uncut diamonds in a poorly guarded bank in Dakar hatches the plan to go on a working vacation that involves a little sightseeing and a lot of mayhem. Genre fans know underground French MC Jean Gab'1 as a villain in District B-13, but with BLACK , he takes center stage and delivers a nouveau-blacksploitation adventure awash in, black magic, African mysticism, mutant arms dealers, gargantuan machete-wielding mercenary armies and a truckload of knuckle-sandwiches.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By sb
Format:DVD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I would describe this film as Lock,stock and two smoking barrels meets Heat, with a little bit of the book "Exit Wounds" by Shaun Hutson thrown in, but in French. A jewellrey robbery goes wrong, and the main character ends up on the run. Personally, I find it very off putting following a film with subtitles - I tend to miss what's going on in the film whilst I am trying to read the translations at the bottom of the screen. However, there was plenty of action so it wasn't what I would call a dialogue heavy film. I've never heard of the main actor, MC Jean Gab'1, but he's apparently a big fromage in French Rap music. I don't know how much of a say he had in the soundtrack, but I enjoyed the tunes and it made me think of films like Shaft, which I thought fitted this film quite nicely. Perhaps I've been a bit harsh, but I have awarded this three stars - I took one off for the subtitles and one off as it's ok, but no blockbuster.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A. Skudder
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
What a strange, but ultimately enjoyable, film!
When Hollywood remakes this for a subtitle-hostile American audience (as surely they must) it will be interesting to see if they keep the supernatural element towards the end.
The film starts with a gritty portrayal of a failed armed robbery, 'civilian' casualties and all in Paris' 18th arrondissement. The only survivor gets a call from a cousin in Senegal about a big job there and takes the opportunity to get out of town. Once in Senegal the film gets a bit lighter for a bit, with the planning for the jewel robbery being a bit like a traditional heist film.
Once in Africa the cast is almost exclusively black, apart from the pantomime villian and the hilariously cartoon-like Russian mercenary and his troops. Fortunately the pace of the film stops you dwelling too long on just how poorly written and acted these characters are.
The hero, played by the wonderfully-named French rapper MC Jean Gab'1, holds it together well, teaming up with Carole Karemera as the female Interpol officer, while ever more groups of interested parties conspire to grab the gems. At no point are you more than a few minutes away from gunfire, car chases and explosions.
It all gets a bit weird at the end, which spoiled it a bit for me, but I think its safe to say this is the best French blaxploitation-action-witchcraft-caper-chase film I have seen for along time.
When Hollywood remakes this for a subtitle-hostile American audience (as surely they must) it will be interesting to see if they keep the supernatural element towards the end.
The film starts with a gritty portrayal of a failed armed robbery, 'civilian' casualties and all in Paris' 18th arrondissement. The only survivor gets a call from a cousin in Senegal about a big job there and takes the opportunity to get out of town. Once in Senegal the film gets a bit lighter for a bit, with the planning for the jewel robbery being a bit like a traditional heist film.
Once in Africa the cast is almost exclusively black, apart from the pantomime villian and the hilariously cartoon-like Russian mercenary and his troops. Fortunately the pace of the film stops you dwelling too long on just how poorly written and acted these characters are.
The hero, played by the wonderfully-named French rapper MC Jean Gab'1, holds it together well, teaming up with Carole Karemera as the female Interpol officer, while ever more groups of interested parties conspire to grab the gems. At no point are you more than a few minutes away from gunfire, car chases and explosions.
It all gets a bit weird at the end, which spoiled it a bit for me, but I think its safe to say this is the best French blaxploitation-action-witchcraft-caper-chase film I have seen for along time.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This was an odd film. It seemed to veer all over the place in every way it could. It started off OK but as the film progressed it began to spiral into B-movie madness and the poor acting, poor film making, and poor storyline became more and more apparent with every scene.
The film started off OK - a little 'first time film maker' in places - but bareable. However once it got going it was pretty dire and things soon started to unravel. By the end it just became a joke really; laughable, and not in a good way. The only thing that saved it from being total rubbish was its absolutely amazing Afro-Funk sound track.
Some huge names such as Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Nile Rodgers, Money Mark, and lead actor himself Gab-1 come together to create a 70's style blacksploitation soundtrack that was super fresh and ultra funky. It was shaft for the new millennium and the only thing of note about this film really.
On the whole the film was bareable, with one or two enoyable moments - but sadly too few; I managed to watch it - in two sittings - but if anyone of you have seen the Jamaican films, 3rd world cop or Dance Hall queen, we're talking that level of film making. Terrible - but interesting in its own way because its just so different.
I'm glad I didn't buy Black. But I'm also glad I watched it. There were some nice locations in Dakar, Senegal to be seen and as far as films goes I've seen far worse. Plus, although it didn't really work for me, hats off for being a little different. Also I got to enjoy it's amazing Afro-Funk sound track, which I'm going to try to hunt down and buy..
The film started off OK - a little 'first time film maker' in places - but bareable. However once it got going it was pretty dire and things soon started to unravel. By the end it just became a joke really; laughable, and not in a good way. The only thing that saved it from being total rubbish was its absolutely amazing Afro-Funk sound track.
Some huge names such as Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Nile Rodgers, Money Mark, and lead actor himself Gab-1 come together to create a 70's style blacksploitation soundtrack that was super fresh and ultra funky. It was shaft for the new millennium and the only thing of note about this film really.
On the whole the film was bareable, with one or two enoyable moments - but sadly too few; I managed to watch it - in two sittings - but if anyone of you have seen the Jamaican films, 3rd world cop or Dance Hall queen, we're talking that level of film making. Terrible - but interesting in its own way because its just so different.
I'm glad I didn't buy Black. But I'm also glad I watched it. There were some nice locations in Dakar, Senegal to be seen and as far as films goes I've seen far worse. Plus, although it didn't really work for me, hats off for being a little different. Also I got to enjoy it's amazing Afro-Funk sound track, which I'm going to try to hunt down and buy..
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
So bad it's good? Or so bad it's bad? Search me!
Oh God, I don't know where to begin. Quentin Tarantino meets Sam Raimi? No, hang on, that makes it sound really good.. Ed Wood meets Michael Bay? No, it's not as bad as that.. Read more
Published 9 months ago by M. W. Hatfield
1.0 out of 5 stars
Worst Film ever seen...
Start with Good Story about bank Robber in Paris and then going to Dakar for the last job after than is just bonker, the story lost its direction is just nightmare, is the Worst... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Isaaq Abdi
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better Than I Expected
I don't usually watch subtitled foreign films, so wasn't quite sure what to expect from this, but actually I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ben Saunders
4.0 out of 5 stars
A nice heist film
Think a Francophone version of a Tarantino heist film and you wouldn't be far wrong. At first you feel that you have the film in reverse as you see an armed robbery in Paris go... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mr. G. Carroll
2.0 out of 5 stars
Je ne comprends pas
Unfortunately, I was really disappointed by this film. To be fair, I took a risk in choosing to watch it: I had never heard of any of the actors, am not usually much of an action... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. C. C. Barrett
3.0 out of 5 stars
A mashed up mess
Not having seen a review of this film before placing it in the DVD tray, I can honestly say I wasn't expecting what I just saw. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Paul B
1.0 out of 5 stars
Incoherent
As a fan of the District B13 films, I was hoping for crazy action and a fast-moving story. Unfortunately, Black just sort of plods along in between poorly choreographed and... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Martin I. Smith
3.0 out of 5 stars
Black
A bit of a peculiar film to say the least. In the beginning we have a typical west end ganster film, except set in paris, and the old boys crew being a selection of senegalese... Read more
Published on 18 May 2011 by Funk
3.0 out of 5 stars
Its in FRENCH but with subtitles
I find subtitles unfair, as i end up reading instead of watching whats happening on the screen.
This movie isnt bad at all, has a good dose of action and will be enjoyed by... Read more
This movie isnt bad at all, has a good dose of action and will be enjoyed by... Read more
Published on 28 April 2011 by Fezz 3D
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Black Exploitation Movie Is Back!
Remember those crazy moves of the 70's and 80's, coined "black exploitation" movies? They often starred people like Isaac Haynes and Pam Grier, they used to be quite crazy... Read more
Published on 27 April 2011 by DL Productions UK
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