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Movies / On DVD / Original Gangstas
Original Gangstas

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Original Gangstas (1996)

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46 %
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Reviews Counted:13

Fresh:6

Rotten:7

Average Rating:5.5/10

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Set in Gary, Indiana, this film stars many popular actors from the "blaxploitation" era in a tale of revenge and good vs. evil. The premise involves John Bookman, who escaped from the ghettos of... Set in Gary, Indiana, this film stars many popular actors from the "blaxploitation" era in a tale of revenge and good vs. evil. The premise involves John Bookman, who escaped from the ghettos of Gary years ago and is now a successful pro football coach in L.A. But when John's father is killed, the innocent victim of gang violence, John returns home to Indiana. After burying his dad, John rounds up his old cronies, and sets out to clean the streets of the punks who have ruined his old neighborhood -- a task much easier said than done. Can John and company defeat their younger, violence-prone adversaries? [More]

Starring: Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Paul Winfield

Starring: Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Paul Winfield, Isabel Sanford, Ron O'Neal, Richard Roundtree, Christopher B. Duncan, Dru Down, Charles Napier

Director: Larry Cohen

Director: Larry Cohen

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Release:

Jan 18, 2000

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Reviews for Original Gangstas

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1 - 16 (sorted by comments)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
10/09/05
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

Despite its good intentions, Original Gangstas isn't very good.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dan Jardine
Dan Jardine
Apollo Guide

No review available.

comment Comment
02/08/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
11/25/02
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Although the leads are intended to be cool and menacing, the result resembles parody; scenes of drugs, guns and fights are likely to make audiences burst out in laughter.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Dwayne E. Leslie
Dwayne E. Leslie
Boxoffice Magazine

No review available.

comment Comment
07/21/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

The purpose is to entertain, and on that score the film delivers impressively.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Hal Hinson
Hal Hinson
Washington Post
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Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Joey O'Bryan
Joey O'Bryan
Austin Chronicle

A top notch B-movie.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

Original Gangstas leaves you feeling that more could have been made of this 'blaxploitation' reunion, but it's not bad -- and no more and no less substantial than the films of the original cycle.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
02/14/01
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
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N/R

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Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Lawrence Van Gelder
Lawrence Van Gelder
New York Times
N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Leonard Klady
Leonard Klady
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Where Original Gangstas works is in its understanding that the stars are playing the characters they created 25 years ago as their older selves.

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Mary Elizabeth Williams
Mary Elizabeth Williams
Salon.com

No review available.

comment Comment
12/05/04
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

Think Boyz N the Hood meets The Mod Squad.

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
01/01/00
Susan Stark
Susan Stark
Detroit News
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