Review of Chi-Raq (2015) by Patrick L — 17 Aug 2016

"Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" is an angry and devastating look at the violence-plagued city of Chicago".

DVD Movie Review: Chi-Raq.

Date Viewed: April 6 2016.

Directed By Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing,.

Malcolm X, He Got Game, Inside Man, Jungle Fever, 25th Hour and School Daze).

Written By Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott.

Starring: Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Angela Bassett, John Cusack, Michelle Mitchenor, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, La La Anthony,.

Felicia Pearson, Steve Harris, Dave Chappelle and Samuel L. Jackson.

Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" is an angry and devastating look at the violence-plagued city of Chicago, this movie is raw and emotionally powerful. Lee has devoted his whole film career into making films about race in America and his passion is on full display once again in "Chi-Raq". Not only is it a heartbreaking film, it's also a satirical musical as it borrows from Aristophanes' Greek comedy "Lysistrata". There are some elements in the story that don't work but still writer/director Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, 25th Hour, He Got Game, Jungle Fever) is back in his home turf where he belongs.

Set in present day Chicago, "Chi-Raq" follows two rival gangs who have been at war with each other for years, Demetrius Dupree (Nick Cannon) is the leader of a purple-clad gang called the Spartans and Sean "Cyclops" Andrews (Wesley Snipes) is the leader of a orange-clad gang called the Trojans. Soon, an 11-year-old girl gets shot by a stray bullet and her mother (Jennifer Hudson) is filled with grief and wants to find the man who murdered her daughter and hopefully bring him to justice. The on-going violence in Chicago's South Side is simply too much for Demetrius' girlfriend Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) as she urges every woman who's involved with gang members to join her and to deny and protest the men's access to sex.

The only way to stop the protest is for the gangs to sign a peace treaty and end the violence in Chicago. Soon, the movement spreads around the world and this news infuriates Chicago's mayor, McCloud (D.B. Sweeney) as well as major politicians and law enforcement officers. The supporting cast also includes John Cusack as a left-wing priest who stands with the people in the South Side and marches alongside them to end the violence in Chicago, Angela Bassett as Lysistrata's neighbor and a non-violence advocate, and Samuel L. Jackson as the film's narrator who surfaces from time to time wearing lavishing suits and a fedora.

The ensemble cast is terrific here especially Nick Cannon who surprisingly gives a compelling performance as Demetrius. It's also nice to see Wesley Snipes back in dramatic territory as Demetrius' rival gang leader. The film's title is really accurate because over the past 15 years, more people have died from gun violence in Chicago than Americans have died serving in the war in Iraq.

The screenplay by Lee and Kevin Willmont (who's an independent filmmaker and film teacher from the University of Kansas) could not be more relevant and sharp. It is Lee's best film since 2006's "Inside Man". "Chi-Raq" is outrageous and often-bizarre but you should definitely go see it.