The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster

It's really unfortunate that some people seem to only have reductive takes of this film. See particular reviewers here who note "the ghetto" and "frankenhood," which is telling that they completely missed the point of this story and the one of which it's based. This is a tale of a hurting community-and the black experience in the US-trying to recoup what's been taken from them through systemic racial disadvantages. This is a tragic love story of a heartbroken sister (played by Hayes in an incredible performance, an ensemble that is equal to the task, directed by Bomani J Story in this solid directorial debut) who, in a maniacal desperation to fix what's been done to her family, completely undoes what she meant to accomplish. The real monster isn't her brother. It isn't Keith, Dango, or even Vicaria. The monster is the society that tries to create black people in their intended image and the violence that they have to suffer in the stark daylight and deep in the shadows where no one is supposed to be looking. The indelible consequences are what makes this film so horrific and devastating. But the most terrifying thing are any viewers who ignore the true meaning, the reason, and their part in a cycle that ultimately saves no one. A re-read of Frankenstein, The Biography of Malcom X (suggested here by Aisha, played by Stith, or any history of African American history) with a reinvigorated heart, much like Vicaria and her family, is what's needed here.

Why oh why did they have to make Gang life seem like it's NOT stupid. The girl is soooooo perfect till you stop and think. It's all her fault, The movie is terrible and it has so much potential. The title pulls you in but the film makes me hate the main character, She never takes accountability and everyone around her is in danger, A lot of the character's have no motivation and feel like a burden on the screen. Who would anyone want to hurt this child? How can she afford a lab? Why doesn't her father leave? Where are the good men in this film? She is sooooooo wrong on death being a disease??? Really????

I absolutely can't agree with the folks who left low ratings for this film. Particularly given the probable budget they had to work with, it was incredibly well done. That said, I'm not sure more money would have improved it because the grittiness of it was one big reason it worked so well. It reminded me a lot of some of the 70s horror but it was much better than that round of films in the 90s and early owes that tried to capture that 70s horror vibe. As most others have said the acting was top-notch and the pacing was perfect. This is clearly a writer/filmmaker who understands the origins and narrative structure of the genre - lots of Easter eggs, both in terms of classic horror and Black history. Plus solid jump scares, realistic gore, interesting characters, or realistic redemption, arc for Kanga, etc. I think the reactions to the ending are odd because, while it was not the ending I was expecting, I can't imagine a more interesting one. I mean, it's a classic horror, trope that one or two people survive, and the focus is on the brightness of their futures. That's exactly what this film did - while adding the bonus of a larger scale bright future. What I like perhaps most about this movie is that you get to choose how you watch it. Do you just want to be entertained by a good retelling of a classic horror tale? Or do you want to think? Either way this film will deliver for you. I've seen other reviewer say that this film has a message. It would be more accurate to say that this film delivers many messages on many levels, and you can legitimately think about them for days if you choose. Don't know what this filmmaker has in the pipeline next, but I will watch it and hope to see more like this from them in the future.

Vicarias brother Kango (yes, really) is shot in the head while he's fleeing police (obvious no-no) but for some reason girl needs other corpses to fix his body despite all the damage is to his head. Make that make sense. People say this movie is "brave" and "genius" to score social credit points while in reality it's yet another movie that paints certain people as victims while painting others as enemies simply for the color of their skin. This pitting of one group against another has been going on for decades because divided people are easier to conquer. Another failed indoctrination film that tanked in the box office that will succeed in brainwashing those willing to be brainwashed. Movies like this continue to tank in the box office for obvious reasons.