'Black Dynamite' is a brilliant parody of the Blaxploitation genre of the 1970s, most of the time anyway. The intentional glaring continuity errors, fantastically clichéd dialogue, exaggerated action sequences and the catchy little jingles perfectly encapsulate the genre. Most of all though, it's the 16mm film it was
shot with that made it most authentic, giving the film high contrast and saturation, a characteristic of many original Blaxploitation films.
Its dry humour draws many parallels to the 'Naked Gun' series, just not quite as wacky. The film is littered with references and homages to its roots, making Black Dynamite a film of much replay value. I can see myself revisiting much of the film, especially the scenes that include my favourite new phrase: 'jive turkey'.
Kudos goes to Michael Jai White, who brilliantly portrays Black Dynamite; the massive, impenetrable lead character who has women falling at his feet, his feet normally in a pair of generously heeled shoes. This silky smooth kung-fu master is respected by all, many of his actions, chiefly his entrances, assisted by a hilarious jingle that I'll try to convey phonetically: "Dy-No-Mite,Dy-No-Mite!"
Black Dynamite starts to run out of steam around the hour mark, it slightly loses its edge after that; the plot becomes too big, too repetitive. But the meticulously crafted three quarters of the film make it worthwhile; it is a particularly rewarding film for any film buff.
December 16, 2011
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