It's not easy to categorise films in general, but with comedies thing seem much simpler. There are three types of comedies - situation comedies, character comedies, and, finally, parodies. Parodies are the easiest form and that can be proved by the way Hollywood made them in the 1980s. Those made by the Zucker-Abrachams team are classic example - bunch of hilarious gags, usually ridiculing most of the commercial hits released in few last years, patched together with something resembling the plot. I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka, made in 1988, is also a parody, but parody with a difference. First of all, it has some major theme to be parodied - blaxploitation movies of 1970s. It is also a author's work - talented black comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote the screenplay, directed the film and stared in the main role.
The plot is set in a ghetto ("Every Ghetto U.S.A.", says the opening title) where young black man just became another victim of "O.G." - fatal overdose of gold chains. His brother Jake Spade (played by Keenen Ivory Wayans) returns from the Army and finds the remaining family under pressure from goons who work for local crime lord Mr. Big (played by John Vernon). Determined to protect the family, avenge brother and clean his neighbourhood from gangsters, Jake seeks help from John Slade (played by Bernie Casey), his childhood idol who used to fight the criminals in 1970s. Slade reassembles his old crew - Kung Fu Jones (played by Steve James), Hammer (played by Isaac Hayes) and Slammer (played by Jim Brown) and they begin with their crusade.
It is a sad thing that I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka was made in 1988. Audience at the time probably didn't understand or appreciate the blaxpoitation in-jokes and other period references (like the Brady Bunch theme in the background), unlike today's audience, accustomed to the great 1970s revival. Any way, jokes in this film are of various quality, often lame; Wayans, however, compensates that with some real pearls. And most of all, Wayans obviously liked doing this film, and same can be said about various performers. It is great fun to see blaxploitation heroes like Bernie Casey or Jim Brown playing ten or fifteen years older, middle-aged versions of themselves. Wayans also uses the talents of his family - his brother Damon (later noted in The Last Boy Scout) shines in a small, but memorable role of Mr. Big's goon. The soundtrack was also good and utilised for some good jokes. All in all, the film was perhaps badly directed and some jokes aren't funny, but as a whole, it isn't just entertaining for the audience, but it is also a tribute to blaxploitation phenomenon.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on December 17th 1998)
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