I walked into the movie with LOW expectations and I mean low. I didn’t think I would like this movie at all, and on top of that, the soundtrack was done by Future. Another strike against the movie. I like Future but to give him the task of soundtracking (this is now a word) was sketchy. Plus, this was a reimaging (I don’t want to say remake) of a classic and we got Future. Black Panther got Kendrick Lamar and this got Future. The original got Curtis Mayfield and we got Future. Alright, enough of that. Let me refresh your memory about the plot of this film.
Priest wants to he legit, the age old story of the drug game. He is tired of looking over his shoulder, killing people, escaping death and everything else that comes with being not only a feared and respected drug lord but the biggest in the state. So he wants out and he wants to take his ladies (yup, there’s two and they know about each other) and his best friend, Eddie, with him. How he’s going to do it….TBT.
First thing I want to say, I love this casting and yes, I’m biased but hear me out. Where else have we seen Trevor Jackson? In some Disney stuff and in Grown-ish. Trevor is 22 (which I didn’t know until I just looked it up and this doesn’t really help my argument but let’s keep going). This was a role that could have been one of those roles where they gave it to him to prove that he’s a man now and people should give him man roles. This wasn’t that at all. He was confident. They allowed him to bring a little of himself into the role (Jackson knows some form of Jujitsu and they added that as a skill of Priest’s in the film). I believed he was a drug kingpin and not a Disney kid waiting to be accepted as an adult.
Jason Mitchell. Jason is a gem, like a real acting gem. This wasn’t even a lifelong thing that he always wanted to do. This was just a homeboy saying you should do this (shouts out to that homeboy. You the real MVP). Anywho, his portrayal of Eddie was flawless! Mitchell is from New Orleans and I’m sure he knows a lot of guys like Priest and Eddie. Also, look at them together. They look like a good team! They also just look good in general.
What I also loved was Scatter (Michael K. Williams). I’ve watched a lot of interviews with Williams and I know his personality well enough as a fan to know he’s harmless. However, in this film (and in many other roles), he scared me. I was scared like Priest was when he went behind his back to try and get himself out of the game.
Lex Scott Davis (she played Toni Braxton in her Lifetime biopic and later that year was in The First Purge) was beautiful in the film. The shootout in the mansion showed a little more of her skills. Honestly, I could take or leave the girls in this movie.
The Snow Patrol! I knew none of those people but they were all people that got on my nerves in the film which is what you want for a film like this. The head dude, before he was killed, was perfectly annoying, southern and slow. He didn’t seem like he should be in charge anyway. Lol.
Should you watch this film?
I think it’s a great modern twist to a classic. This is great for the new babies. The soundtrack wasn’t bad. I bounced a little while watching the film but be forewarned, there’s a shower menage a trois. My momma and I went to see this and we were not prepared for this scene.
Where can I find this?
Redbox has it and it’s also On Demand. Pop some popcorn and spend a Saturday night watching this movie. It’s worth at least that.
BLACK WATCH 