Rating: 
Summary: Amateurish but entertaining
Review: "Set it Off" is far from remarkable, but it's amiable and entertaining. The screenplay was definitely written by amateurs, packing as much melodrama into the storyline as possible. First we introduce the character of Jada Pinkett's brother. She's like a mother figure to him, since their parents are dead. He's a nice guy, gets into a fight with his sister and flees the house. It's no surprise when he turns out dead two scenes later. Then Kimberly Elise's child accidentally swallows some household substances and the custody of the kid is handed over to child services. We have Vivica A. Fox who got fired from her job at the bank and Queen Latifah who's just plain crazy. Basically, the character motivations seem ripped from a soap opera. The film is predictable from the get-go, so just strap in for the ride. Don't expect high-class writing and high-class direction, especially from the guy who made "Friday." Don't get me wrong, that was a good movie, but like "Set it Off" it's only valuable as lightweight entertainment. One thing I have to say is this is one black movie that didn't go for the humdrum "white people bad, black people good" premise. I assumed that was the direction the film was going after watching the first scene in which the white bank manager fires Vivica for not following procedure, totally ignoring the fact that she was at gunpoint, along with everyone else in the bank. But then we get introduced to the other two managers, who are both black and both sleazy. Not to say that black people are sleazy; it's just good knowing that the writers weren't associating the term "white" with "sleazy" and didn't see the characters in terms of color. Even the John C. McGinley character, the detective who is out to get the four women, isn't entirely sadistic. SPOILERS AHEAD There are a few moments that are just too silly for their own good. Are you telling me two cops are gonna be so distracted by an obnoxious vagrant that they'll totally disregard a bank robbery (literally) taking place right behind them? As I said, you can tell this was written by amateurs. And then we have Queen Latifah driving through the bank in a minivan, which is stupid in the first place and shown simply for cinematic pretentiousness, and the four women drive out, still not being actively pursued by the cops. Latifah makes one turn and suddenly she loses the cops altogether? That's too much disbelief to suspend. And of course, in the usual cinematic tradition, the minor characters have to die first. Kimberly Elise dies in standard operatic fashion--in someone's arms, saying her last words. Only in the movies can someone die like that 90 % of the time. The acting is pretty good, though sometimes hammy. When Jada sees her brother dead on the street, screaming and crying out, "Whyyyyy!!" (I could be paraphrasing), that was too much. Latifah's role as a crazy thug wasn't much of a stretch, especially since this film was made back in her hip-hop days. She is a fine actress, though, and I prefer her more mature roles in films like "Living Out Loud." John C. McGinley and Blair Underwood add a touch of class. If F. Gary Gray weren't so dependent on melodrama and big action spectacles to create tension, this wouldn't been a much more compelling film. Maybe someone like John Singleton or the Hughes Brothers could've made this a more powerful film. Just don't set your expectations too high and you should have a good time.
Rating: 
Summary: It's da bomb
Review: Ah man when I first saw this movie I watched it like 3 times the first night. I mean it's da bomb I mean you know how they always have the movies where the men do the wild and bad things and the women are just these stupid girls who sleep with them to get money, but gary layed the rules down in this movie,and showed people that men aren't the only ones who can be bad women can do anything men can do probably even better. You see how good these girls were I mean they was just doing they thang, but it was sad at the end, because spooney(jada pinkett) was the only one left and she was rememberin what they did earlier in the movie while they were robbing banks, and everybody got killed at the end except for her. That was soo sad but I do agree her relationship with blair underwood was a one night stand and it did kind of drag the movie but that was the only mistake otherwise this movie is off the hook if you haven't seen it yet you betta run to the video store and get it now because you missing out on a lot.
Rating:
Summary: DISTURBING BUT POWERFUL
Review: F. Gary Gray is one of the most talented directors today (not black directors, but director, period!) A film major, I look forward to the day I meet him. I can't watch this movie when I am down, because it will make me think life just ain't worth living. It has a very very depressing ending. But overall, the narrative was excellent. Each one of the girls had a motive, whether it was directly indicated or not. Black intellects trash this movie because they see it as trapping African Americans in the Boyz N the Hood genre (which was also an excellent film). But they fail to see there are so many stories within the inner cities of African Americans. It is not just about robbing banks, gangs, or drugs, it is out survival, loyalty and frienship. Which I think mainstream America really does not understand and why I think so many black women go to jail for protecting their men involved in illegal activities. Not to veer off the subject, but set it off is about loyalty and true friendship, (just like waiting to exhale, just a different neighborhood) with a fresh twist. Hats off to F. Gary Gray!
Rating:
Summary: Waiting to Exhale? Not these sistahs!
Review: Feisty, spirited and ultimately tragic tale of four working class African-American women who decide to hold up banks when the "system" holds them back. All four women deliver strong, intense and hot-blooded performances, which more than compensates for the lack of character development and motivation. I would have like to see director Gray delve more into what made them decide to rob the banks. We are not given a strong idea as to what made the women tick, other than a need for money (though Jada Pinkett's character, Spooney, has some justification, seeing her innocent brother murdered by the LAPD). Visually, Gray offers nothing new, but does everything with a sense of urgency and gusto. Ultimately, SET IT OFF deserves praise for putting a new twist on a rather tired genre.
Rating:
Summary: Jada,Vivica,Kimberly and Queen set this thing off!!
Review: Four Black women struggling with trying to keep afloat and fighting off the biting sharks of poverty: One a single mother, another a single woman raising her only sibling: a brother, another who was wrongfully terminated from her position as a bank teller after a robbery-gone-bad, and another just fed up with her position working for Luther, the foul-mouthed owner of his own janitorial company. For each of their own individual reason, they all band together and decide to pull their own bank heist. Disguised in wigs and clear masks, they coolly and calmly walk into banks and demand money. To make matters more complicated, Stoney {Pinkett} meets and begins to fall for a branch manager played by Blair Underwood. While working for Luther, the discover he runs out with their money, and now they have to "hit" the bank one more time. With the police hot on their trail, the ill-conceived robberies fly out of control. This movie is filled with emotion, honesty, and a tragic ending. Guest appearances by Dr Dre as Black Sam and Dub-C as one of the bank robbers. This movie is a real crowd pleaser!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Utter garbage
Review: How this got approved to be filmed is beyond me! It is nothing but trash, pure and simple. Yo, it ain't nuthin' but a "g" thang ("g" for garbage!) Do your self a favor and skip this self-indulgent piece of defecation.
Rating:
Summary: Over & Over
Review: I can watch this movie over and over! The acting was great, the plot was great and the women were awesome!
Rating:
Summary: FEMALE ACTION!!!!!!
Review: I LIKE THIS MOVIE IT HAS A LOT OF ACTION. YOU ADRENALINE WILL START RUSHING. YOU WOULD DEFINITELY GET AN ADRENALINE RUSH. I LIKE THIS MOVIE IT IS ABOUT A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND THEY ROB A BANK TO TRY TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THEMSELVES BUT END UP GETTING INTO A LOT OF TOUBLE, THIS IS A GOOD MOVIE I ENJOY IT. IF YOU LIKE ACTION THEN YOU WILL ENJOY THIS MOVIE. THIS MOVIE HAS QUEEN LATIFAH, VIVICA A. FOX, BLAIR UNDERWOOD, JADA PINKETT SMITH, AND MANY OTHERS THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE AND I ENJOY IT.
Rating:
Summary: Oldie But Goodie
Review: I love this movie no matter how many times I watch it.My favorite part is where Queen Latifah says to Jada Pinkett-Smith "Look Stoney we HOT then she says I know you not gonna play us for that bumpie at the bank" This shows some camaraderie as sister friends which is really hard to find. This movie also was very sad at certain points with mucho action.
Rating:
Summary: Oldie But Goodie
Review: I love this movie no matter how many times I watch it.My favorite part is where Queen Latifah says to Jada Pinkett-Smith "Look Stoney we HOT then she says I know you not gonna play us for that bumpie at the bank" This shows some camaraderie as sister friends which is really hard to find. This movie also was very sad at certain points with mucho action.
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