Left Field Cinema

Although nowadays, what comes to mind when the spoof genre is discussed is the Scary, Epic, and Superhero Movie franchise, at one time it would be Airplane and Blazing Saddles, Naked Gun and Hot Shots. Black Dynamite taps into this vein of comedy. Like all of the above, it is played totally straight, yet is over the top in its silliness from beginning to end, and it works like a charm. The characters are never in on the joke, much like the characters in the films it is lovingly paying homage to. All of the most ridiculous movie conventions are mocked here, and not just those of the Blaxsploitation film. Of course, the first act is exactly the same as the Coffy plotline, but there is everything from ex-partners turned bad to Vietnam flashbacks. However, not only does Black Dynamite boast the goofy comedy of the aforementioned films, but it also has the endless spoofs and satirical tones of Blaxsploitation cinema, mocking in the same loving way that Shaun of the Dead did with zombie movies. Instead of the heartless “pisstakes” in Scary Movie, Black Dynamite pays homage to Blaxsploitation out of a true passion for these films.

Director Scott Sanders has concocted a ‘70’s Blaxsploitation film perfectly, using slang, sexism, tacky clothes, crazy cars and hilariously over the top scenes and dialogue to create the effect of a genuine Blaxsploitation film. Like The House of the Devil, this film could literally be a lost film made 35 years ago. So, as a carbon copy of what it is satirising, why even bother watching it?

Because Sanders draws the attention away from the original films and brings it towards this one instead. Rather than being a Blaxsploitation film of its own, it is a perfect summation of the genre. Like Scream, it is too self-referential and knowledgeable to be a true original of its type, even if, on one level, it does still work as one.

Black Dynamite as a character is very interesting, he happily smashes bricks for no reason, yet he fails to hang up a phone properly. Michael Jai White perfectly embodies the characteristics of the likes of Shaft, Sweet Badass and Superfly whilst also having the comic timing of Eddie Murphy. He is a superhero in a sense, sleeping with 5 “bitches” a night, his combat skills are countless and unmatched and he is always one step ahead of the competition. White, who co-wrote the script with Sanders and Byron Minns, has an impeccable, poker-faced scowl, and he is the only one on screen who reads his line with any subtext at all. During an important speech early in the film, Dynamite looks up in annoyance at a boom mic that’s poking his perfect hair, yet even in these circumstances he pushes through the speech. And these sorts of goofs happen countless times throughout the film. Edits don’t happen, frames aren’t there, stock footage is not only used, but repeated. It is clear that all of these goofs are intentional, and they make the film accessible to everyone. The dialogue is perfectly absurd, and wouldn’t be out of place in a Frat pack comedy. How someone could recite the story of a little Vietnamese boy who said his dying words “like some cartoon shit” and keep a straight face is beyond me. The same goes for a conversation inside a diner, when the gang are uncovering an evil plot, they speak of astrology, M&Ms, “big ass” snakes, “smooch frying”, Greek and Roman gods and words said backwards, all played dead straight. The soundtrack is also brilliant, often referring to what is happening on screen. Written and performed by the editor, it is a perfect throwback to the Isaac Hayes soundtracks of the ‘70’s and it was clearly a personal project for him.

At 84 minutes and with 2 fantastic animated credit sequences and an animated sex scene, Black Dynamite is a short movie. But with this in mind, it is a tightly edited film that quite literally has a laugh a minute. In conclusion, Black Dynamite is an extremely entertaining satire, whether you know and understand Blaxsploitation or not. The goofs and silliness allow any and everyone to engage with the film’s ridiculous nature. This is quite easily the best parody movie since Shaun of the Dead. Black Dynamite is a damn good movie.

Sam Boullier