Black Dynamite (2009)

Black Dynamite is the greatest African-American action star of the 1970s. When his only brother is killed by The Man, it's up to him to find justice.

Director:

Scott Sanders

Writers:

Michael Jai White (screenplay), Byron Minns (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Jai White, Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phyllis Applegate	...	Aunt Billy
Obba Babatundé	...	Osiris (as Obba Babatunde)
William Bassett	...	Captain Yancy
Troy Lindsey Brown	...	Kid #1
Fredella Calloway	...	Waitress
Cheryl Carter	...	Black Dynamite's Mother
Juka Ceesay	...	Valet Girl (as Juka Cesay)
Kevin Chapman	...	O'Leary
Tommy Davidson	...	Cream Corn
Lucky Davis	...	Paperboy
Nicholas Earley	...	Neighborhood Kid
Richard Edson	...	Dino
Jason Jack Edwards	...	Soul Brother (as Jason Jack Edwards)
Jon Kent Ethridge	...	12 year old Black Dynamite
Mary Evans	...	Woman at table

Storyline

This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House..

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Plot Keywords:

outnumbered | license to kill | mob execution | vengeance | one man army | 

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Taglines:

He's super bad, he's outta sight. He's Black Dynamite.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Certificate:

R16

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening scene which features an African-American actor using an effected quasi-English accent and precise diction while delivering his lines is a play on several well known actors who are featured in blaxploitation yet got their roots in William Shakespeare performances. William Marshall, star of Blacula (1972), starred in eight different productions of Othello before playing Mamuwalde/Blacula in 1972.

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Goofs

When Black Dynamite is shot in the shoulder and goes to the hospital, the doctor clearly says, "No fragments, in and out - you're very lucky, BD," indicating that the bullet went right through Black Dynamite. However he is only bandaged at the entry point of the bullet and there is no exit wound on his back.

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Quotes

Black Dynamite: Say, Mama, you're gonna have to work on your delivery if you wanna take on Congressman James. The shame is, half these people don't know what y'all talking about, but at least they can put his to a beat.
Gloria: So what do you do to make a difference? Do you march? Do you vote? Oh, let me guess. You're one of those Tom Slick brothers that think you can get by on good looks, a wink and a smile, huh?
Black Dynamite: I don't know about Tom Slick, but thank you for the compliments.
Gloria: That's not what I meant. Not that I think ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The international version of the film contains six minutes of additional footage, consisting of extra dialogue in some scenes and extended fight sequences. In the scene where Black Dynamite and Cream Corn take a helicopter and leave Kung Fu Island, they use it to destroy Fiendish Dr. Wu's complex before heading off to the White House.

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Connections

Spoofs Willie Dynamite (1974)

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Soundtracks

Jimmy's Gone
Produced by Adrian Younge
Performed by LaVan Davis

User Reviews

Best Spoof since the 80's ZAZ glory days!

This is what "Undercover Brother" and "Grindhouse" (minus the 'phony' trailers) wished they could have been but weren't: a tribute to a dismissed period of cinema that feels like it belongs (and comes from) its era.

But this isn't just a collection of random jokes or stabs at blaxploitation genre clichés without rhyme or reason. There is an actual story (convoluted and non-sensical but it's there, and even allows long scenes that advance the plot to unfold without a single obvious joke), there are real characters (over-the-top and cliché' but not two-dimensional walking cardboards) and there are action/fighting scenes (enhanced via the same seamless green screen/CG technology used in "Kung-Pow" a few years back) that make this an actual blaxpoitation movie that just happens to be funny because it's being so true and respectful to the genre it represents. Michael Jai White looks and inhabits his lead role like he stepped out of the 1970's; it's the best casting for a movie since Christopher Reeve got the Superman/Clark Kent role, and I'm not kidding. Supporting actors really get into their blaxpoitation roles (Arsenio Hall and Tommy Davidson are hilarious in too-brief cameos) but they don't overplay their OTT personalities or overstay their welcome. The way "Black Dynamite" gets around its 'R' rating to sneak in a graphic sex scene is not only genius but ties directly with the movie's best scene in which the 'heroes' crack the code in a cafeteria. And the orphanage scene has to be seen to be believed. :-P Only the overblown finale that pushes things way past the breaking point (think "Shoot 'Em Up" and yes, it's that big a misfire) betrays the cinematic illusion that this is a 70's flick that's been rotting in a vault somewhere.

I got my $12.50's worth and will gladly wait for the DVD because I'm sure there's a joke or two I missed. The one's that hit the mark are hilarious though. Don't listen to the DVD Talk reviewer on this one (they're usually right but this time he's way off), "Black Dynamite" is a winnah!

Details

Official Sites:

film website for promotion Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 January 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

Black Dynamite - yhden miehen armeija

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,900,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$131,862, 18 October 2009

Gross USA:

$242,578

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$296,557

Company Credits

Production Co:

Destination Films, Ars Nova Entertainment, Goliath Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1