Brutal and powerful

zetes

I have seen the other really famous movie about gangs in South Central L.A., Boyz n the Hood, a few times before, but I had never given this one a chance. One reason is that I always found Boyz a tad corny. Menace II Society has a few corny moments, too, but, in general, it's a lot better than Boyz. The film follows Tyrin Turner as a young man who is being drawn further and further into gang life, especially by his best friend Larenz Tate, a true psychopath who thinks nothing of murder. Jada Pinkett (before she married Will Smith) plays a responsible woman who tries to save Turner by taking him to Atlanta with her to start a new life. The violence in this picture is truly shocking - just absolutely nasty and brutal. I was surprised by just how powerful this one was. Tate and Pinkett are the stand-outs in the cast. Samuel L. Jackson has a small role, as does Charles S. Dutton.

score 9/10

zetes 17 March 2013

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2768680/