Rating: 
Summary: "Panther" is a much better movie than the critics think.
Review: "Panther" is a much better movie than the critics think. Though there might be some details left out or slanted, any reasonably accurate depiction of the early days of the Black Panthers fills a big gap in people's knowledge of history. This movie is like "Malcolm X" in bringing neglected history to life, but more enjoyable to watch. This is an especially good movie to show to teenagers. My African-American stepson was glad to see black people standing up for themselves effectively, especially the Capitol "takeover". So much of the civil rights era history shows or tells about black people being mistreated, beaten, and killed, it was great balance to see what the Panthers accomplished in their heyday. This is an entertaining and informative movie for teenagers and adults. You can always follow up to get more details by reading if you're interested. By the way, the R rating is appropriate, but this movie is not a "hard R." I think those 13 and up will have little trouble with it. Adults should watch the movie with teenagers so as to be able to talk about it afterward.
Rating: 
Summary: We shall not be moved.
Review: A must see for anyone who ever had to stand up to oppression in there life. Hughie, Bobby, Tyrone, Judge, Cy, Reverend Sloaken.....its all there from start to finish. From the first minute brother Hughie called a pig "a pig" the movie put chills through my body. Let me keep it real for all those reviews that are sleeping on Panther... you see, Panther wasn't about shooting cop's, no no, it was about getting a mans attention. That's what Mario Van Pebbles does, he grabs you and leads you into a story, a place where people have no choice but to put aside their fears and do what they feel in their heart is right. You do not have to wear a dasheeky to be proud of what those young brothers in Panther accomplish. The Panthers set the stage for some control on authorities who are out of control. Police brutality has not ceased, nor will it ever cease, however the more people stand up for themselves as a communinity the more humanity we will all have. Hats off to Mario Van Pebbles who is not afraid to portray to the masses what most other medians of communication are afraid to say. That the government tried to contain the Black Panthers by pumping cheap dope into the gettos. Little did the government know that the dope was gonna spread like wild fire right into the arms of some of their own children. From start to finish Panther beautifully spins a story of people who overcome the overseers and rise as one to accomplish justice. A must buy to watch over and over again. To all the people who gave this prolific movie a bad rating I have one final thing to say, "Like crabs in a barrell trying to bring each other down" ALL POWER to the PEOPLE
Rating:
Summary: EXTREMLY UNDERRATED!!!!
Review: ANYBODY WHO'S OPEN-MINDED,DOWN WITH CULTURE,AND UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVE OF THIS MOVIE WILL ENJOY IT!! PEOPLE LIKE TOM KEOGH WHO GAVE IT A BAD SUMMARY AND OTHER REVIEWS THAT DIDN'T GIVE IT 5 STARS DOESN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEIR TALKING ABOUT, TRUST ME!! MOVIES LIKE THIS,MALCOLM X,HIGHER LEARNING,BOYZ IN THE HOOD,MENACE 2 SOCIETY,DO THE RIGHT THING,HE GOT GAME ETC,ETC, WILL NEVER WIN ANY AWARDS BECAUSE IT'S BASE ON AFRICAN AMERICAN EVENTS AND CERTAIN PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR HISTORY THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE MEDIA SAID IT WAS A 2 HOUR LIE BACK IN '95,AND THIS MOVIE WAS DISCONTINUED,BUT WE CAN SEE TOP GUN,GODFATHER,STAR WARS AND QUETIN TAROTINO'S OVERRATEED MOVIES IN BEING THE BEST MOVIES EVER AND GETTING OSCARS!(DON'T CARE IF I MISSPELLED HIS NAME!) BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IN OSCARS ANYWAYS,WE HAVE TO SELL OUT AND PLAY ROLES LIKE CATWOMAN OR THE STUPID OVERRATED KILL BILL JUST TO WIN. BLACK OR WHITE EVERYBODY SHOULD WATCH THIS MOVIE! IT WOULD OF BEEN A WISE CHOICE IF THE STUDIO WOULD RELEASE A SPECIAL EDITION DIGITAL REMASTERED IN SOUND AND PICTURE AND HAVE BONUS FEATURES LIKE THE PANTHER VIDEO THEME IN '95 AND IT WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE IF WAS RELEAESD IN FEBURARY SINCE THIS IS THE 10TH YEAR AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH,BUT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
Rating:
Summary: An Essential Film
Review: Directed by Mario Van Peebles (also responsible for "New Jack City" and "Posse") comes the story of the inevitable birth of the Black Panthers who the FBI categorised as Public Enemy Number One. But behind all The Man's propaganda lies the truth, another chapter in the Afro-American's struggle for emancipation, superbly summed up by the adopted slogan "if you ain't part of the solution, then you're part of the problem". Make no mistake, the Panthers led by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale weren't formed as a Black Supremist organisation but rather to look after the Black Community and to exercise their Constitutionally protected human rights. Look, listen and learn from this film - why the Panthers were formed, their prime reason for existence, the Community Programmes they instigated and also the response from the Authorities, both public and subversive. Although told from a potentially biased viewpoint, the film does not shy away from recognising the Ghetto had its own share of low-lifes and which the Panthers tried to do something about. Such was their success in mobilising and inspiring the Black community as never before it's no wonder the Authorities ran scared. Their ultimate contingency plan however was not only morally abhorrent but also backfired big time. A superb dramatisation of the humble beginnings of a local movement in Oakland, California illustrating just how it grew into such a political tour-de-force. Like I said, look, listen and learn. An essential film. The Mad Ferret, London, England.
Rating:
Summary: too high
Review: I LOVE this movie but these prices are crazy!!! Tower.com for 25.99 people. I think this is a great movie to have in your collection but I think that people who really want to see this movie are being taken advantage of.
Rating:
Summary: too high
Review: I LOVE this movie but these prices are crazy!!! Tower.com for 25.99 people. I think this is a great movie to have in your collection but I think that people who really want to see this movie are being taken advantage of.
Rating: 
Summary: very average
Review: i'm a big fan of the Van Pebbles.Melvin the Father is a Ground-breaker for African-American films.Mario is challenging.i've read many books on the Panthers the good&the Bad on them.i wish this film had done the same.i Respect what The Panthers were trying to Establish but it's important to show both sides to the story.still it's better than nothing.this is American History.
Rating:
Summary: The film does what it is supposed to do..
Review: Malcolm X or Rosewood, but nonetheless, still effective in bring across the injustices suffered by african-americans in the 60's to early 70's. I initially saw this film when I was very young and kind of slept on it. However, after doing extensive research on The Panthers, their coming together, their downfall, and the devilish conspiracies of one J. Edgar Hoover, not only contributing to the Panthers downfall, but the killing of MLK, Malcolm X, and even indirect in the assassination of JFK, I found this movie to be enlightening and a constant reminder of where my people have come from, and how much further we still have to go even today. The one part of the movie that is haunting for me and stands out so much is Hoover's direct or indirect involvement in drugs and heroin being brought into our inner cities to directly make our people commit geonocide on one another (though some may say this was ficticious, but we really know better). Our Black leaders have cried this argument for the past 30 years and doesn't it seem rather ironic that the drug epedemic happened to boom just as the Panthers were being broken up, The Vietnam War ending, and racial tensions between blacks and law enforcement was at an all time high? Coincidence, I think not. The only thing is that those persons responsible for flying that stuff into our urban cities and ghetto's never counted on the fact that it would explode as a nationwide epedemic by the time the mid 80's rolled around and a drug called crack came into existence. I think the movie should have gone a little deeper into the Panthers as a whole but knowing the Hollywood establishment, I'm sure the Van Peebles didn't have the luxurious studio budget afforded their white counterparts to make the movie they probably intended on making. Still a keeper and a collector's item and indeed true American history.
Rating:
Summary: Not As Gut Wrenching As..........................
Review: Malcolm X or Rosewood, but nonetheless, still effective in bring across the injustices suffered by african-americans in the 60's to early 70's. I initially saw this film when I was very young and kind of slept on it. However, after doing extensive research on The Panthers, their coming together, their downfall, and the devilish conspiracies of one J. Edgar Hoover, not only contributing to the Panthers downfall, but the killing of MLK, Malcolm X, and even indirect in the assassination of JFK, I found this movie to be enlightening and a constant reminder of where my people have come from, and how much further we still have to go even today. The one part of the movie that is haunting for me and stands out so much is Hoover's direct or indirect involvement in drugs and heroin being brought into our inner cities to directly make our people commit geonocide on one another (though some may say this was ficticious, but we really know better). Our Black leaders have cried this argument for the past 30 years and doesn't it seem rather ironic that the drug epedemic happened to boom just as the Panthers were being broken up, The Vietnam War ending, and racial tensions between blacks and law enforcement was at an all time high? Coincidence, I think not. The only thing is that those persons responsible for flying that stuff into our urban cities and ghetto's never counted on the fact that it would explode as a nationwide epedemic by the time the mid 80's rolled around and a drug called crack came into existence. I think the movie should have gone a little deeper into the Panthers as a whole but knowing the Hollywood establishment, I'm sure the Van Peebles didn't have the luxurious studio budget afforded their white counterparts to make the movie they probably intended on making. Still a keeper and a collector's item and indeed true American history.
Rating:
Summary: Black & White filmmaking ...
Review: Oversimplified, but entertaining attempt at capturing the history of the rise of the Black Panthers. The film is overblown and obvious in its depiction of the events leading to the group's downfall (and more than slightly racist in its depiction of every single caucasian portrayed in the film.) Its a shame, because some of the performances are quite good. Peebles really missed his chance here to make a definitive, grand statement about the Black Panthers. The film goes for all kinds of conspiracy theories (like Oliver Stone's "JFK"), but is dilluted significantly by dumbed-down dialogue and schmaltzy music that is completely out of place. A disappointment.
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