Menace II Society

Year: 1993

Grade: A+

Country: USA

Director: Hughes

Review

some amateurish acting aside this is an excellent film. really it should be mandatory viewing for all of america’s youth and that’s not something i say often.

it all begins with the writing which is perfectly paced, finds the right tone, and is as real as it gets. the primary theme is the cyclical nature of life in the ghetto; a theme that would be of great educational value to a lot of the people that the film is about. the film comes full circle in the end and in dramatic fashion. this sequence is the best directed and most impacting of the film; it’s the culmination of all that is good about the film.

it’s not a film you’re likely to ever forget because of its raw realism. boyz in the hood was the first of the modern urban cautionary tales, but menace ii society is the pinnacle of the genre. in spite of some of the poor acting and second level production, this film earns an A+.