Surprise, Surprise...

Okay, so I try to support Black Cinema at every turn....even if I know it's gonna be painful. This usually happens at the video store when I see something that looks like it was made on $12.59 and a 6-pack of Colt 45.

I must say that the best way to approach these films is with zero expectations. That way, you might be able to enjoy something that is completely amateurish in every way. Just maybe. Imagine my surprise when I saw this film this morning and actually kinda liked it...it's a j-list movie called "The Hit".

It is the story of a rap mogul (Blair Underwood) who is tired of the non-blacks taking all of the profits, and gathers all the rap labels together for their own super-distribution company. Of course the non-blacks aren't down with that, and super drama occurs. There are a couple of sub-plot elements, one good (two rappers find out they have the same goody-two shoes girl) and one that seemed like it was an afterthought (use part of the super company's profits to open a center to get kids and parents off drugs...huh?)

I was prepared to tolerate it and be disgusted as I usually am with these types of films. Plus it had Blair Underwood as the lead, who is in the reigning court of B -movies these days....never a big fan-he seems a little phony, and I can never quite get with what's going on with his hair.

Anyhoo, I started to dig this film. Not in a "The Departed" "this is the s__t " kinda way, but in that "wow, this isn't so horrible" kinda way. As I watched it, it dawned on me why it was okay with me...it reminded me of the films I watched as a kid...the black exploitation flicks with the staples; Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, etc. I only rolled my eyes a couple of times...and Blair looked--dare I say it? Kinda fine.

If you replaced Blair with Fred Williamson, his girl with Judy Pace, and all the others with the faces of the black and white subpar actors of the 70's, it would be a perfect match. All of the elements were there:

-supermachismo

-girls who can't act their way out of a paper bag, but are willing to appear topless

-fancy cars only a few people can afford-all rented of course

-everyone has convenient connections everywhere in times of trouble

-low budget sets for the most part, but main characters look like they live in Tommy Mattola's house

-a black love scene that is brief, but much more powerful than a half an hour of any non-black love scene

-a soundtrack that catches your attention

-an all out plan to get revenge on "the man"

Ultimately, I had no beef with this movie, but had a few questions....

-Why make Blair have liberal use of "what a nigga know" and "ain't" and "f__k"? It reeeealy doesn't suit him

-Why is Al B Sure in this movie for any reason (he is in for 4 minutes, 30 seconds)? Just so we can marvel at him saying "I''m about to dump on you nigga"?

-Do Italian/Americans get pissed off when they see themselves constantly played as mob stereotypes?

-If this movie was supposed to take place in L.A., why does two thirds of the cast have a New York accent and swagger? I'm just sayin'.

To watch this movie (full-length), click here. Let me know what you think.