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Hot Boyz
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Some movies defy the need to be reviewed. Take "I Got The Hook-Up" for instance; anyone who could possibly consider seeing a flick with such an insufferably goofy title and poster art obviously wouldn't be swayed by what a critic may have to say. If the words "A Master P Film" don't have you running for the door, you'll probably get a kick out of "Hot Boyz". Lest you forget that "Hot Boyz" is a No Limit production, seeing a cast consisting primarily of No Limit rappers wearing No Limit clothing with No Limit music playing in the background ought to be a constant reminder. Plot-wise, a corrupt cop pulls a well-meaning rapper into a seedy underworld, where he and his gang (the 'Hot Boyz') become gangsters. Despite some nice production values and some surprisingly not-entirely-terrible performances, would anyone but die-hard No Limit fans be interested?
Video: Very little bothers me more than seeing "formatted from its original version to fit your screen" on a DVD, and I suppose Artisan assumed that the typical audience for "Hot Boyz" wouldn't be savvy enough to appreciate a widescreen (or letterboxed, even) transfer. As a full-frame transfer, "Hot Boyz" is average, looking marginally crisper than a USA World Premiere Movie (my favorite point of comparison for fullframe DVDs). Some shots seem unusually soft, but that's likely an issue with the source material, and presumably an inexperienced rapper acting as director of photography.
Audio: Not surprisingly, there's plenty of rap music and gunfire that'll rattle your foundation, but I found myself rather disappointed with the sound as a whole. Although the case claims "2.0 Dolby Surround" (in the 'special features' section, laughably), the soundscape seemed unnecessarily confined, making minimal use of any surround effects. Average, at best.
Extras: You get a trailer and cast-and-crew information. Nothing else...I would at least expect some music videos...
Conclusion: The case for "Hot Boyz" calls the film a 'pulse-pounding urban action thriller in the tradition of "Boys In The Hood", "Belly", and "New Jack City"', but what Master P seems to have forgotten is that in order for a movie to be 'pulse-pounding', there has to be at least one of the protagonists has to be likeable. Although Kool, the lead 'gangster', starts off as a very sympathetic character, halfway into "Hot Boyz" there's no one to root for. The only thought in the characters' minds is "getting paid" at any cost, and if the audience doesn't care if characters meet violent ends, it's hardly "pulse-pounding". Perhaps "Hot Boyz" is trying to make a statement about power and corruption, but comparing the film to modern classics such as "Boyz In The Hood" is laughable. For die-hard No Limit fans only, and even then, only as a rental. I can't fathom paying $29.99 for what is essentially a movie only disc with a full-frame transfer.
Last Word: It has Gary Busey in it. That should say it all right there.
Video: Very little bothers me more than seeing "formatted from its original version to fit your screen" on a DVD, and I suppose Artisan assumed that the typical audience for "Hot Boyz" wouldn't be savvy enough to appreciate a widescreen (or letterboxed, even) transfer. As a full-frame transfer, "Hot Boyz" is average, looking marginally crisper than a USA World Premiere Movie (my favorite point of comparison for fullframe DVDs). Some shots seem unusually soft, but that's likely an issue with the source material, and presumably an inexperienced rapper acting as director of photography.
Audio: Not surprisingly, there's plenty of rap music and gunfire that'll rattle your foundation, but I found myself rather disappointed with the sound as a whole. Although the case claims "2.0 Dolby Surround" (in the 'special features' section, laughably), the soundscape seemed unnecessarily confined, making minimal use of any surround effects. Average, at best.
Extras: You get a trailer and cast-and-crew information. Nothing else...I would at least expect some music videos...
Conclusion: The case for "Hot Boyz" calls the film a 'pulse-pounding urban action thriller in the tradition of "Boys In The Hood", "Belly", and "New Jack City"', but what Master P seems to have forgotten is that in order for a movie to be 'pulse-pounding', there has to be at least one of the protagonists has to be likeable. Although Kool, the lead 'gangster', starts off as a very sympathetic character, halfway into "Hot Boyz" there's no one to root for. The only thought in the characters' minds is "getting paid" at any cost, and if the audience doesn't care if characters meet violent ends, it's hardly "pulse-pounding". Perhaps "Hot Boyz" is trying to make a statement about power and corruption, but comparing the film to modern classics such as "Boyz In The Hood" is laughable. For die-hard No Limit fans only, and even then, only as a rental. I can't fathom paying $29.99 for what is essentially a movie only disc with a full-frame transfer.
Last Word: It has Gary Busey in it. That should say it all right there.
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