The Asian couple who own the store appear worried and nervous and the boys accuse them of racism. As they are finally leaving, however, the husband makes the mistake of muttering under his breath, "I feel sorry for your mother," which is all it takes to set off O-Dog. He shoots them both, robs the cash register and makes off with the security videotape - which he will later show repeatedly to his friends as they drink and laugh. Caine, raised by his grandparents after his low-rent gangster father and heroin addict mother die, is the ultimate troubled kid.
He seems to have a heart, but you can't hang around violence too long without being affected by it. And eventually, he too will add murder to his list of crimes. Shocking and very well-directed by year-old twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes, "Menace II Society" is another in the recent spate of films that takes an unflinching look at African-Americans who are killing each other in modern America. Unlike "Boyz N the Hood" and "Juice," however, this one is so downbeat and depressing there seems to be little hope for anyone who comes out of these neighborhoods.
That ultimately diminished the power for me - if there's no hope, it becomes just a more realistic shoot-'em-up thriller. But there is some insight here into the mentality that leads these kids down a road they have not chosen for themselves. But it is certainly not for all audiences. Directed by year-old twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. One implied sex scene -- lots of kissing in bed, but no nudity shown everything is under sheets. Mostly gunplay, but also a few brutal fist fights.
A store owner is shot several times, and we see him lying in a pool of blood. Another character is shot through the stomach, another is shot in the head, and another in the shoulder. Again, there's lots and lots of blood. There are three very violent beatings, and one extremely violent scene at the end of the film: it's a drive-by shooting, and the victims are literally torn apart by the bullets.
Blood is everywhere, from start to finish. Shakur bragged about the altercation on an appearance on Yo! MTV Raps A tape of the appearance was played at the trial as evidence against Shakur. Shakur was sentenced to fifteen days in jail. Goofs During Ronnie's party scene, Caine's voice over says that the party was at the end of the summer. Quotes [Caine Lawson reflecting after being shot] Caine : After stomping Ilena's cousin like that, I knew I was gonna have to deal with that fool someday.
Alternate versions The Criterion Collection director's cut on LaserDisc includes the following additional footage: An extra shot of bullets leaving the back of the guy Samuel L. Jackson kills An extra shot of Awax holding the gang member while he shoots him An small scene showing how Caine and O Dog brake into the car in the garage Two extra shots of bullet wounds during the final scene It also includes two deleted scenes; the funeral of Caine's cousin and a scene at his grandparents' house after the funeral.
Green, Jr. Adams and M. User reviews Review. Top review. I thought killing those fools would make me feel good, but it really didn't make me feel anything. The Hughes Brother's movie charts the hapless life of Caine Tyrin Turner as he seeks to escape the ghetto. The son of both a drug dealer Samuel L. Jackson in a potent appearance and an addict, Tyrin, surrounded by guns and a machismo culture, is tied to his friends and the way of life afforded him.
Even as love and a chance of a way out arises with Jada Pinkett's terrific pretty Ronnie, it's doubtful if Tyrin will escape from the revolving door of death. Menace II Society had a troubled beginning, refused a video certificate on the grounds of its profane language and brutally violent scenes, it has since gone on to be viewed as one of the finer exponents of anti-violence involving Black Americans.
That wasn't always the case though, many critics in the 90s were prone to calling it a film that glamorises the lifestyle of "Hood" gangsters, but offered a saver of sorts by correctly saying it had realism in amongst the harshness. Certainly the dialogue and regional slang was refreshing to hear, thus affording "Menace" and its makers praise for keeping it real, so to speak.
Ineviatbly comparisons were are drawn with John Singleton's film, Boyz n the Hood. But although "Menace" is rawer, uncompromising and more visceral with impact, it lacks the intelligence of Singleton's film. Where "Boyz" had fully rounded characters, character with which to hang your hat on to, "Menace" is just a social group of youths we neither know or care about outside of the group, ego driven dynamic. When lead protagonist Tyrin is trying to deal with his inner conflict, we the audience are treated to standard run of the mill melodrama.
The streetwise edginess that the Hughes' began their film with the opening is nigh on horrific has long since gone as they try to make a film that touches all the bases of Black Americana. Easily the most realistic of all the ghetto films made, in fact the film at times feels like we are on a documentary drive around downtown Watts. Menace II Society, however brutal it clearly is, has loaded the gun and shot the bullet, only to see it narrowly miss the whole target it was aiming for.
Still it's one hell of an experience though. FAQ 2. Why does O-Dog keep the videotape from the store after the shooting? Why does he keep watching it?
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