Dead Presidents

The Hughes Brothers did the impossible for some directors avoided the sophmore slump. Dead Presidents is a ghetto classic about violence and a heist. Larenz Tate is good in the lead role and Chris Tucker is funny as always. This movie is very deep and thought provking and it's a shame The Hughes Brothers haven't done a movie since From Hell. After their sucess with American Pimp I thought for sure they'd take on Pimp by Iceberg Silm. Never the less still a good film.

The Hughes Brothers' Dead Presidents provides an interesting take on the American experience following the Vietnam war. While many directors have worked with this time period(Hal Ashby, Oliver Stone) this is the first film that deals with the issue from the standpoint of the returning black veteran.

Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate)tries to be a good citizen. He graduates from a Bronx high school and feeling that he is not ready for collge joins the Marine Corps and is sent to Vietnam where he is a member of a special Recon platoon. After serving his counrty he returns to his old neighborhood to find everything that he believed in has changed. Struggling to get by he plans with some friends an armored car robbery.

The film is one of the most powerful that I have seen dealing with the return of veterans in a long time. What we get is a universal story not just a black one and the Hughes Brothers are to be commended for this. The film is a period piece and evokes the time in question quite well. If there is a flaw with this film it is that the ending seems a little contrived. The robbery did not have to happen to make this film enjoyable. It was put on simply so that the film could be labeled as an action film. Action sells better than dramas about characters obviously.

The disc I viewed was a rather bare bones affair. This is a film that should be rereleased in a better edition on the order of the Hughes Brothers From Hell release. A commentary track would have been appreciated.

See this one it's worth it.

I just watched this movie again after several years. I remember I liked it the first time, but it wasn't as good as Menace II Society. After watching it again last night I realized that this movie is a bomb. The acting is good and the characters are interesting, but the movie is so slow and then they rush to an ending that isn't set up very well. Then all of a sudden it's over. Are we supposed to feel bad for somebody getting 15 years to life after he contributed to the deaths of several innocent people? 15 years?! He got off easy. This movie felt like 15 to life while I watched it. Feel bad for me instead because I watched this crap twice and feel bad for yourself if you watch it even once. Terrible movie.

The Hughes Bros nailed it!!!

Larenz Tate; Chris Tucker (wow!!); Keith David; Terence Howard; Bokeem Woodbine; Freddy Rodriquez & N'Bushe Wright nailed it!!

The writers; historical advisors; everybody nailed it!!!!

Brilliant!!

Pay attention black filmakers...this is what great cinema is about...and I pray for a continuation.

I loved this movie it's slow building
but towards the end it's greate! Highly recommend it!