Review of Menace II Society (1993) by Aaron N — 06 Jan 2010

Grocery Store Man: I feel sorry for your mother.

O-Dog: What'd you say about my mama?

A ghetto drama about a young hustler who was equipped to have a better life if he was raised in a different environment. Instead, with the friends and role models available to him, the life of crime pays its tolls on him. The darker side of a coin that would have Boyz in the Hood on the other side. Some energetic performances and authentic dialog mixed with the very well handled visual style by the Hughes Brothers make this a very watchable film about unfortunate characters.

Tyrin Turner stars as Caine, the protagonist of the film. He is not much of a hero, though likable in a way. He spends his days as a young drug dealer, mostly going around the hood with his best friend O-Dog, played really well by Larenz Tate, who tends to lose his temper at nearly any situation. While not completely plot less, the film more or less lets us spend a few months with Caine, as he participates in some stupid crimes, learns a bit from the various mentors in his life, and essentially tries to come to terms with what he thinks it is to be a man.

Despite how vulgar and very heavy on the use of two particular words the film was, the way the characters living in Watts speak always rings true. Nothing in the way the characters act ever feels false. Its certainly a good way for the film to keep its tone together, as well as providing for bother very real and sometimes very humorous exchanges. This is especially the case for the dynamic between other characters and Sharif, the one character opting away from crime life, being educated, despite hanging with the rest of these people.

Sharif: What's up, black man?

Caine: Coolin'. Man, why you got that goddamn hood on your head, lookin' like the Grim Reaper?

Sharif: It's cold out here, my brother. You know us black folks not used to this cold air. We a tropical people, you understand? Let them Europeans deal with this madness.

Caine: Then why your tropical ass sittin' on the goddamn cooler?

Sharif: To keep you fools from drinking this poison. That's why.

Caine: Man, you better get your Shelenkem-Shilom ass up off this box and pass me a motherfuckin' brew.

Most impressive in this film was the direction by the Hughes Brothers. Twins who had come off of music videos at the time, they were only 21 when they finished making this film, and their work here is very impressive. The use of color schemes, camera movement, editing, and other visual tricks to keep up a certain momentum and hold together this film was interesting and intriguing throughout.

Its wandering story and overall depressing factors certainly don't make it a film I need to revisit anytime soon, but its made and acted very well, which certainly warrants it a good rating.

...Oh, and watch out for Sam Jackson's brief appearance with his Afro.

[Caine Lawson reflecting after being shot].

Caine: After stomping on Ilena's cousin like that, I knew I was gonna have to deal with that fool someday. Damn! I never thought he'd come back like this, blasting. Like I said, it was funny like that in the hood sometimes. I mean you never knew what was gonna happen or when. I've done too much to turn back, and I've done too much to go on. I guess in the end it all catches up with you. My grandpa asked me one time if I care whether I live or die. Yeah, I do. Now it's too late.