Netflix Watch Instant: Black Dynamite

Netflix is becoming the "best bang for your buck" utility in my house. With 3 non-traditionally employed individuals, we have a lot of down time at home and while day time TV is enjoyable to some, I've decided to use my time to watch some of the quality programming available on Netflix Watch Instant. I'll try to make this regular column, since I plan on watching a good amount in the coming months.

So for the first installment, I watched Black Dynamite and had an absolute blast. Netflix describes it as follows:

Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is the only one strong enough and brave enough to take on the baddies who murdered his brother. What's the former CIA agent to do? Expose a conspiracy that leads straight to the White House. Providing plenty of hilarity and sexy, slick action, Scott Sanders directs this homage to classic 1970s blaxploitation flicks. Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Arsenio Hall also star.

You can also watch the trailer:


I haven't seen many blaxploitation flicks, but based off those I have seen this was a great throwback that played with the norms of the genre. While having a message about black power, it doesn't take the serious road of slavery or oppression, but rather a hilarious off-the-wall take on alcohol taking away one of the powers the black male community. While it didn't have a smug tone that some postmodern films take, it definitely knew when to wink.

They did a fantastic job of capturing the look and feel of 1970s cinema, even casting people that the average movie-going public wouldn't recognize from previous work. There was only one cast member that I knew from before the film, and her appearance was slightly jarring. Before she showed up, I could have very well been watching an unknown film from the 70s.

At just under an hour and half, it's a great way to avoid the waning summer heat.