Set It Off [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Set It Off expresses a real sense that these women have been close friends for years, and that gives the film additional impact, even when their transition to crime and violence feels somewhat forced and superficial. A romantic subplot involving Pinkett and a social-climbing banker (Blair Underwood) is too contrived to be convincing, and director F. Gary Gray (Friday) tries too hard to combine hard-hitting action with social relevance (a weakness shared by Gray's following film, The Negotiator). Still, Set It Off effectively avoids passing judgement; its emotional complexity transcends simple notions of right and wrong, injecting vitality--and a kind of renegade integrity--into the traditions of a familiar plot. --Jeff Shannon

This film has you gripped from the start, and you get to know the characters so well you end up crying at the end like they're your best friends.

A sad, but inspiring story about the hardships of life in the hood. Even when you're out, you're never really out! The women fight for what they believe is theirs and a chance for a better
life instead of settling for what they a given.

Great film, can watch it over and over again. One to keep !


Amazing Film   January 17, 2004
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This film is totally amazing i wont repeat the story as its mentioned above various times. I was gripped from start to finsihed and it seemed if i knew them so well and was apart of it. I cried at the end how could you not, so sad. The acting again is fantastic, i didnt think the film would be anywhere near as good as i thought but it turned out to be one of my favourite films ever. Definately go buy it its an action packed emational trip down ni teh real world!


Wicked film, wicked soundtrack   March 2, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This is an unexpectedly great film. Having looked at the box for several minutes I wasn't sure. Would it be a terrible pastiche of all those gangster hip hop robbery gone wrong?

I needn't have worried. Watch out for Queen Latifah - how hard is she?


Have you ever been so frustrated.........   February 2, 2001
mutalen@hotmail.com (Southport, England)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful

That you just wanted TO SET OFF, BURN IT UP, WATCH IT GO UP IN SMOKE? Then this film is for you starring a quartet of hommies it brings the viewer into full view of being black poor and female. A tale of celebration and anguish there is no part of this film any person who falls outside of the gilded world of the male, the white and the middle class can't relate to.

As the synopsis stated violence sometimes wins over from character development but there is something liberated about seeing women face a system designed to crush their hopes and dreams whilst illminating their anxieties fight back. The Underwood-Pinket sub plot provides all those who sit outside the black upwardly mobile community with an insight to the chasm that splits the 'Harvard Man' (or woman) from his or her community but when the cruch comes Pinket moves to protect Underwood because she knows that a black person in a professional position is still a nigger to those who work with him.

If you want to see the craft of acting brought to the screen then pay close attention to the performance given to Queen Latifah. This is an amazing film one which all people going through their rage against the machine should see. So need time you want to

SET IF OFF

BLOW IT UP &

TEAR IT UP

simply watch the film