Rating: 
Summary: Realistic, Powerful, Awesome!
Review: I grew up in the inner city of Washington DC during the 80s and 90s so I'm pretty familiar with inner city poverty and the violence that goes hand in hand with it. Menace II Society is set in the Watts district of South Central LA but it may as well be set in any poor inner city in the US. The film's protagonist is Caine, an 18 year old black kid who has just graduated from high school. His summer vacation gets off to a rough start as he goes to buy a beer with his pal O-Dog and ends up being an accessory to murder after O-Dog kills and robs the Korean merchant. "Menace" plays almost like a video. It begins with a random act of unnecessary violence and it ends with a random act of unnecessary violence. In between we get an amazing film that gives us a look into the world of the young poor black men growing up in the inner city and all the obstacles they face both real and percieved. Tyrin TUrner as Caine is a fantastic actor, who gives a very realistic portrayl. IN some parts the film almost looks like a documentary its so realistic! Larenz Tate as O-Dog is incredible! He's "America's nightmare, young, black and doesn't give a f**k". The plot is basically just life in South Central LA during a summer. We follow Caine as he explains his upbringing. His father was a drug dealer and his mother a drug user. His father was murdered and his mother overdosed. As a result, Caine lives with his devoutly relgious grandparents who have no control over him. His one role model is in jail. His friends ("homies") are all small-time criminals looking for their next score. Its a roller-coaster ride of drive-by shootings, car-jackings, and assorted crimes. A great great film which can be watched over and over again. One of the best movies of the 90s and an important piece of American culture.
Rating:
Summary: True to life
Review: This movie is great portrayl of young black teens growing up in Los Angeles. For those of you who never grew up in the ghetto or a run down neighborhood, this movie maybe a little too graphic and extreme. To me this movie was just how people live everyday life. There was tons of action in the movie, right from the start you see about two people die. If your into gang movies or movies about urban teens growing up in rough neighborhoods, this has got to be the movie to own. I've watched this movie over 30 times and it still gives me that same awe effect. Add this to your collection if your not queasy about blood. Oh and Jada Pinkett adds a little more glory to the movie.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best movies ever!!!!!!!!
Review: this movie stands the test of time as one of the best movies ever written and directed. i mean the first time i seen this i was like whoa. this movie is the realest and most controversial urban drama out there. im suprised tyrn turner didnt blow up off this movie. we all know lorenz tate did. get this if u aint seen it. or just buy it if you have. good one to have in your collection.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE MOST GRAPHIC FILMS OF ALL TIME
Review: This is by far one of the best films of all time. I apsolutly loved this film its on my top 20 list as being one of the greatest films of all time. The DVD is good but I wish it had dealted scens thats the only thing bad about the DVD. But a word of warning this film has extremely graphic violence and is one of the most violent films ever made and should have got the NC-17 rating for violence this film is for adults only. Warning: this film contains Extremely graphic prolonged violence including strong drug use,strong graphic language,and some sexuality. You have been warned.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE MOST GRAPHIC FILM'S OF ALL TIME
Review: This film is one of the best films I have ever seen. Its by far one of the top ten films of the 90'es. I apsolutly loved this film its on my top 20 best films of all time. The DVD is good but I wish it had deleted scens that is the only thing bad about the DVD. But a word of Warning this film is possibly the most graphicly violent film of all time. There are very few films that could match the violence in this film and the film should of got the NC-17 rating. This film is for Adults only do to Extremely Graphic Prolonged Brutal Violence And Extremely Graphic Drug Use And Extremely Graphic Language.
Rating: 
Summary: Fake-O!
Review: What, am I the only one who thought this movie [wasn't good]? I had heard so many rave reviews about it but when I finally watched it, it was a total letdown. Everything was so fake, and you could see the ending coming 10 minutes into the movie. No doubt the story is believable (though you KNEW what was going to happen), but the acting was... well, acting. These guys try to sound tough but they're not. It comes off as very amateur acting. The story line is so-so, but having to sit through these guys reciting their lines just plain kills off whatever's left of the movie. I expected to feel terror looking at these guys, but the whole time I was just thinking, "Where'd you guys learn to speak like that? Gee, thanks for trying, but really, you should've spent some time listening to how real LA gangsters speak." This whole movie is so watered down. The only good and realistic part is the opening scene of the shooting in the liquor store. Everything else just goes downhill after that.
Rating:
Summary: What A Waste!
Review: The Hughes Brothers have such potential that it disappoints me to see how awful Menace II Society was. Although it claims to be a clear portrayal of life in "stereotypical" ghetto in Los Angeles, I feel that it is such a copout to take the easiest thing to write about and turn it into film. It would be a greater accomplishment if they could successfully portray the lives of those who've managed to rise above rather than repeat the story of those who've failed to get out. Menace II Society just wastes your time by reiterating the same old stereotypes and puts them onto the faces of African-Americans in film. I definately recommend you DON'T waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Candor Writhe yet Spectacularly Beautiful
Review: Menace II Society. An odd name for a movie, you think on initial glimpse. Why II, and not to? Who's the menace? You pick up the box. There's a picture of two black kids on the front. OK, you read summary. It doesn't tell you much. So, by this point intrigued, you rent it. Good for you.
Menace starts out in a convience store. There's confrontation, and soon, two people are dead. The gunman is smiling and opening the register. His friend, Kane, screams at him and shivers with panic. We fade, and begin the story of Kane's life.
If you're the average white person living in America, what you hear in rap music and see on the news must be very distant from you.
Allen and Albert Hughes grapple us with their genius storytelling skills, and quickly, show us what we're so secure not to know. The daily living, the blood, the drugs, the not caring. What do these mean? The main character, Kane, is mixed up in all of it.
To himself, he wants out- way out- of his hoodlum life. Externally however, he wants in. He's never shot anybody, he's the clean one. But he sells drugs. He knows how to kill someone. He's been friends with people who have. Here we see his internal struggle to get out in stunning visual perspective.
The film itself has an expert way about it of opening our eyes to the culture, the environment, the lack of consequences, the police brutality- All of it, while still maintaining assemblence of structure in where it wants to go.
Most of this movie is painful to watch. Seeing Kane fall down his path of righteousness and commit sins he scoffed his brethren for commiting just days earlier. Seeing innocent lives be torn by misunderstanding. Seeing utterly meanless death. It should hurt to watch- the directors made sure of it- that's why it's so poignant.
The aforementioned sins that Kane commits jump into his future as well. Every time he has a chance to escape, he's pulled right back into the circle by something he himself did. As Kane matures and finds his way, the circle flows into it. It's reminicent of Michael Corleone in The Godfather.
Some other noticible traits of the film- it's incredibly stylistic when it wants to be, but graphically gritty others. Also, it does a good job of displaying irony- like a scene when Kane and friend walk down the street speaking of how the Bible won't help them- with crosses dangling from their necks. The use of fades, especially toward the beginning of the film, is well-timed and welcome.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Menace II Society is a worthless piece of garbage about violence far from home. Maybe we don't need to see it. But that violence is real- and it's not so far away. I don't think I'm wrong. I think, that after this movie is finished, you'll be very glad you rented it.
Rating: 
Summary: Another hood movie?!...Maybe so.
Review: I know,I know. How many more "hood" movies must we sit and suffer through before everyone of every different race, religion and creed figures out that growing up in the hood sucks. Besides the violence, the innumerable curse words, this movie had depth. It shows development in the characters of Kane and O-dog, two hoodfellas surviving and struggling in the hood the best way they know how: Crime. Kane has support on either side of him: caring grandparents as well as a "girlfriend" Ronnie. But hey sometimes you have to live, love and learn the hard way.
Rating:
Summary: What a Film
Review: This is even more real than American History X in my opinion. When you watch real movies it makes you think about the society we all live in. Menace 2 Society is very deep and meaningful. From beginning to end you stayed glued to the tube to see what happens next. This is a film that should be seen by anyone who is old enough to watch it. I would recommend that you check this film out if you already havent.
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