Skillfully directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall, Waist Deep is a taut, grittily entertaining B-movie reminiscent of the gangster films that Warner Bros. used to crank out with assembly line efficiency in the 1930s and '40s.
Waist Deep (2006)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:20
Rotten:56
Average Rating:4.3/10
Consensus: A well-meaning B-movie that suffers from a cliche-ridden script and poorly drawn characters that fail to inspire much sympathy.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong violence and pervasive language.
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:Jun 23, 2006 Wide
Box Office: $21,318,194
Synopsis: This sun scorched, bullet-blasted South Central L.A. story follows the car- and corpse-strewn trail of an ex-con turned security guard O2 (Tyrese Gibson), who gets carjacked while his son is still... This sun scorched, bullet-blasted South Central L.A. story follows the car- and corpse-strewn trail of an ex-con turned security guard O2 (Tyrese Gibson), who gets carjacked while his son is still asleep in the backseat. The thugs hold the child for ransom, and O2 has 48 hours to come up with a hundred grand. His only lead in getting the kid back is Coco (Meagan Good) the cutie who distracted him at the traffic light. Together they bicker, fall in love, and launch a plan to take down a vicious gang leader named Meat (The Game) while they roll along on a bank-robbing spree. Director Vondie Curtis-Hall keeps the action humming and swathes his gritty South Central locations in a thick haze of urban grime and chaotic spontaneity, making it reminiscent of 1970s cult classics like BLACK CAESAR and THE WARRIORS. Tyrese is more than up for the job here as the tough but tender O2; he and the very sexy Meagan Good generate major onscreen chemistry. Larenz Tate plays O2's dope-head cousin, and Kimora Lee Simmons has a funny cameo as a fencer of hot designer dresses. Her husband, Russell Simmons, was one of the producers. [More]
Starring: Game, Tyrese Gibson, Paul Terrel Clayton, Meagan Good
Starring: Game, Tyrese Gibson, Paul Terrel Clayton, Meagan Good, Eric Lane
Director: Vondie Curtis-Hall
Director: Vondie Curtis-Hall
Producer: Ted Field, Preston L. Holmes
Composer: Terence Blanchard
Studio: Focus Features
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Release:
Mar 22, 2009
DVD Features:
- Region [unknown]
- Snap Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English
- Subtitles: English, SDH, French, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
- Deleted Scenes
- Music Video: "Bad Girls" Music Video
Featurette:
- 1. Analysis of a Scene
- 2. Drive by Filmmaking
Reviews for Waist Deep
Waist Deep is unapologetically a B movie, its narrative premise placed carefully on the borderline between the wildly implausible and the completely absurd.
That sappy sentimentality juxtaposed with plenty of gritty gangster stuff drives both the tone and the plot of Waist Deep.
There are ridiculous moments in Waist Deep (the ending, a fairy-tale coda to a relentlessly grim tale, is laugh-out-loud funny). But it's also an extremely handsome film that has been made with style and energy.
Hall’s heart lies not in guns and chases but in finding redemption for his city-ravaged characters.
While the plot is overtly absurd (nearly every scene leads to a shoot-out, beating, or car chase), the film never lets up on those "Save Our Streets" demonstrations.
Waist Deep is what used to be called a B movie, back in the days when there were double features... It's a hard little melodrama, done well.
Curtis Hall keeps slipping in surprising social and emotional flavorings rarely found in [this] genre.
Even with the movie's multiple personas, its message -- that salvation sometimes doesn't arrive in the expected form, and that escaping isn't the same thing as running away -- is delivered loud and clear.
Director Vondie Curtis Hall gives this virtually nonstop crime actioner, set against the mean streets of Los Angeles, pleasing noirish touches along with larger-than-life-size characters.
Sometimes excessiveness and implausibility are virtues in disguise. Movies this enjoyable don't come about by accident.
It plays like an urban western: a strong, quiet loner takes on a corrupt man who runs the town with the help of a girl gone wrong with a heart of gold.
The rare summer film that actually delivers what it promises -- 90-odd minutes of lurid trash with hardly a single socially redeeming moment to be had. It even takes the time to illustrate some of my all-time favorite action movie cliches.
While Waist Deep offers precious little that hasn't been seen before, its energy, wit, effective lead performances and taut direction save this old-fashioned B-movie...
No, it's not a great movie. It is, however, an interesting one, a combination of exploitative hood flick and meditation on trust and love -- thug love, romantic love and, most important, parent-child love.
[Director Hall] has proved he is as good with actors as he is at staging action sequences and creating tension.
The film is noteworthy for its tiny if incomplete effort to pour old wine in a new bottle.
Latest News for Waist Deep
June 21, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Evan Shall Lead the Way
Universal looks to score its first number one hit in nearly a year this weekend with the new Steve Carell comedy "Evan Almighty" which hits the multiplexes on Friday... More...
July 17, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: Audiences Still Love Their Pirates
The Johnny Depp juggernaut Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest remained the most popular film in North America for a second weekend easily defending its box office crown... More...
July 13, 2006:
Box Office Preview: Dupree and Little Man Bust Into Your Home
A pair of new star-driven comedies will try to steal away some treasure from the record-breaking hit Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in a laugh-filled battle for the... More...
July 03, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Superman Returns" to Top of Charts
The Man of Steel conquered the North American box office this weekend as the super hero adventure Superman Returns claimed the number one spot over the pre-Independence Day... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 78% 78% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Waist Deep at Rotten Tomatoes
- Waist Deep at IGN
- Waist Deep at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



