Review
by Ernie Santilli
The old "townspeople
taking back their streets" bit transcends
standard fare because no one here is squeaky
clean and self-righteous.
Mainstream honkey cinema would
have wasted a half-hour in exposition rationalizing
why it's not immoral for Group A to be shooting
Group B. But in OG, there is none of that
getting a guilt trip over dusting a punk
for revenge. In fact, the protagonists are
the ones who started the gang they're
capping! It's the big payback from the macks.
Take it to the bridge, Maceo. Huuh.
And check out who's kicking
the ass: Fred Williamson (who also produced),
Jim Brown, still-beautiful Pam (COFFY) Grier,
Paul Winfield, Richard Roundtree and Ron
O'Neal. That's right, Shaft and Superfly
in the same pic. There's even a performance
by the Chi-Lites!
Not a classic mind ya -- maybe
three out of five stars -- but it earns
props for avoiding the easy route down Cliché
Way.
