"Now O-Dog was the craziest
nigger alive. America's
nightmare.
Young,
black, and didn't
give a fuck." - Caine
It's tough to describe the 1993 directorial debut of the Hughes Brothers. Honestly, from what I have seen, the most realistic, frightening depiction of street hustlers and inner city violence. The movie revolves around Caine, played by Tyrin Turner, starting with his graduation from high school and his descent into a lifestyle without an exit. Larenz Tate plays O-Dog, Caine's friend who does just about anything he wants. The cinematography and music of this movie are brilliant. One of the opening shots covers Caine's project with a shot panning above while playing the music of Ice Cube's Ghetto Bird. Menace II Society stands above any hood movie ever made. Like Carlito's Way and American History X, a tragedy based on someone's attempt to leave the life that is destroying everything around them. A scene that sticks with the viewer is one Caine showing Jada Pinkett's young son how to hold a gun and shoot. People I know have seen this movie and questioned it's link to reality. A true tragedy in the end(trust me, this isn't a spoiler, you'll see it coming) the Hughes Brothers added all of the elements to show how this could happen. Menace is not easy to watch, but I think eveyone should see it. A good reflection of America, and the things we choose to not acknowledge. The movie shows you eveything from how easily one can murder to how crack is made.
Runtime: 97 minutes
Rated R: violence and language