Review of The Black Gestapo (1975) by Shawn W — 20 Sep 2012

The Black Gestapo is a painful film to sit through because of its awkward pacing, relentless 70s music, and its uncomfortable storyline. In spite of all that, though, I was able to get a little enjoyment out of the film's fight scenes (which are surprisingly well done) and some competent acting. Still, the blaxploitation genre is a little uncomfortable to watch.

I cannot say that I recommend anyone say this movie. But, it is⦠interesting. It may be garbage, but it is at least fascinating garbage.

The Black Gestapo stars Rod Perry as General Ahmed, a man who starts an inner-city army to protect and avenge the wronged black and female citizens of the city of Watts. There is quite a bit of violence and nudity in this picture, and if that does not bother my esteemed reader, then this film should be a breeze. There is not much more to this film than that.

Like I said before, the fight scenes in this film are quite well done. In fact, I would go on to say that they are borderline fun to watch. They are well-choreographed, real-looking, and occasionally a tad thrilling. There is also a lot of stunt work in this film that I found to be well done. This was a pleasant surprise, considering the alarmingly low production values in this picture. The film itself is just not pleasant to look at⦠which is a major downside to the picture.

Overall, the film is not worth watching. Sitting through the ninety minute run-time feels like a chore, partly because the pacing is ridiculously and painfully inconsistent, and partly because the storyline is just not engaging enough to keep us entertained. Yes, the fight scenes are pretty fun, but Iâ(TM)m sure a curious viewer could find clips of them on youtube.