RottenTomatoes Score: 81% (7.5) Box Office: Spike Lee's $15 million drama has grossed roughly $2.6 million in 305 cinemas throughout December before releasing on VOD later in the month, though there's no way those VOD bucks will make the film profitable. This underwhelming performance continues Lee's long streak of financially unsuccessful films since 2006's Inside Man. Verdict: Also Lee's best feature film since Inside Man, Chi-Raq may have no claims to subtlety and boasts the regular Lee excesses, but it's also a passionately-argued drama full of red-hot rage about not just guns but gang culture and sexism among other issues, laced with plenty of acidic wit to keep it from feeling too didactic. The spectacular cast, led by up-and-comer Teyonah Parris and also including Nick Cannon (yes, really), Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Angela Bassett, John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson and more, do a stellar job tapping into Lee's righteous anger. It will be too much and too loud for some, but for Lee fans, it's a major return to form.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
