THE BLACK MAMBA
2011
For the past couple months, Nike and the NBA have been hyping a short film by Robert Rodriguez that was going to be released over the NBA's All-Star Weekend. The short film, which stars Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant, is posted below, for your viewing pleasure. My review after the break:
Now that you've (hopefully) watched the video - it's just under six minutes long, so just watch it if you haven't already - I hope that you found it as enjoyable as I did. Yes, I know it's pretty ridiculous, but it has that signature feel of a Robert Rodriguez venture that I absolutely love.
Sure, the story's a little lame, but it's still well-rounded considering how short the movie is. The Boss (Kanye West) wants to take all the power away from the best basketball players in the world, and the Black Mamba (Bryant) is the only one who's eluded his capture. So The Boss sets up a final trial that he hopes the Mamba can't pass, and for a moment, it looks like he might get the best of our hero. You'll have to watch to see what happens.
In terms of acting, I wasn't terribly turned off. Kobe does pretty well with the dialogue he's given - the dialogue throughout the film is snappy and very well-written, as is the norm with Rodriguez fare. Sure, he's not an actor by any means, but I think he did a pretty good job for his first "foray" into the medium. We've got some great appearances from some big names like Bruce Willis and the ever-present Danny Trejo who play their parts to perfection. And even Kanye, who I don't particularly like, does well with his time on-screen.
Yes, this isn't my usual type of review considering I don't review the short films I see, but I felt compelled to do a little write-up for "The Black Mamba." It was ridiculous and far-fetched but wholly entertaining, especially for under six minutes. Kudos, Mr. Rodriguez. You didn't disappoint.
Movie Review Summary:
Sure, the story's a little lame, but it's still well-rounded considering how short the movie is. The Boss (Kanye West) wants to take all the power away from the best basketball players in the world, and the Black Mamba (Bryant) is the only one who's eluded his capture. So The Boss sets up a final trial that he hopes the Mamba can't pass, and for a moment, it looks like he might get the best of our hero. You'll have to watch to see what happens.
In terms of acting, I wasn't terribly turned off. Kobe does pretty well with the dialogue he's given - the dialogue throughout the film is snappy and very well-written, as is the norm with Rodriguez fare. Sure, he's not an actor by any means, but I think he did a pretty good job for his first "foray" into the medium. We've got some great appearances from some big names like Bruce Willis and the ever-present Danny Trejo who play their parts to perfection. And even Kanye, who I don't particularly like, does well with his time on-screen.
Yes, this isn't my usual type of review considering I don't review the short films I see, but I felt compelled to do a little write-up for "The Black Mamba." It was ridiculous and far-fetched but wholly entertaining, especially for under six minutes. Kudos, Mr. Rodriguez. You didn't disappoint.
Movie Review Summary:
Grade: B
2 Thumbs Up
2 Thumbs Up
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