Desperation can make otherwise decent individuals do some unfortunate things. This is the core of Wu Tang Clan member RZA’s ambitious third directorial feature. The multi-talented man proved himself as a powerhouse in music before stepping over into the world of filmmaking. RZA has been a welcome sight in front of the camera in films by auteurs such as Jim Jarmusch, as well as behind the scenes composing music for films such as Kill Bill: Volume 1. This immersion into cinema primed him to get into the director’s chair where he has created films that have tapped into his personal interests such as kung fu and music. In Cut Throat City, he expands his viewpoint a bit more to take aim at some of the societal issues plaguing the nation set against the backdrop of a heist film. The film is a bit too ambitious in its scope, but there are enough powerful themes at play that it should inspire some thoughtful discussions afterward.
We meet Blink (Shameik Moore, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) and his friends on the eve of his wedding. Blink is an aspiring graphic novelist who lives in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans with his three friends; Miracle (Demetrius Shipp Jr.), a small-time drug dealer; Andre (Denzel Whitaker), the contemplative aspiring jazz trumpeter of the group; and Junior (Keean Johnson), the token white boy in cornrows who mostly just seems to be around. Blink has a lovely backyard wedding with his beloved Demyra (Kat Graham), but unfortunately this is 2005 and Hurricane Katrina is about to bring unmitigated chaos to the city that will see it changed forever. The movie uses news reports to convey the devastation and we are told how much it ruined the city, but one of the shortcomings of the film is the lack of realistically depicting how these characters have been impacted post-Katrina. We are shown how the FEMA response is disastrous, but the film should have underscored the dire circumstances even more before they jumped to more extreme situations.
The Lower Ninth Ward was one of the hardest hit areas, but the assistance provided to help those in need comes up short by a mile, presumably due to the lower economic class of the inhabitants. Blink is struggling to get by and support his family, and he finally reaches the end of his rope when he is rejected by a condescending publisher. He needs to support his family, and he is quickly running out of options after FEMA denies him any financial assistance. That drives Blink and his crew to local gang boss Cousin (Tip “T.I.” Harris) who employs them to knock over a casino. They may be amateurs when it comes to a serious crime such as this, but it is bewildering to see how cavalier they are when it comes to planning their robbery. That is, they do not really plan at all, which feels like a major shortcoming of the script. Things spiral out of control quickly from here, which causes the surviving members of the crew to go on the lam as intense detective Lucy Valencia (Eiza Gonzalez, Baby Driver) tries to sort out what happened and why things seem a bit fishy.
Moore is really great in the role as Blink, giving him a three dimensional quality that could have been missing in less capable hands. That being said, it is in the wildly talented supporting cast where the film finds any sort of rhythm. Wesley Snipes shows up in arguably the most authentic role in the film as Blink’s grizzled absentee father. Ethan Hawke gets to play a crooked councilman whose true feelings are deliciously opaque. Rob Morgan seems to be having the most fun in the film as a larger-than-life dirty cop with a wild personality. Terrence Howard shows up in a small, yet critical, role as a crime boss in the latter half of the movie in which he chews up the scenery with a high-minded nobility that is fascinating to watch. The interactions between him and Harris’ Cousin steal the show, in my opinion. All of the performers are doing something interesting in the course of the film, but the script never really comes together concretely enough to make any of it feel substantial.
There is so much to appreciate about Cut Throat City; RZA’s direction is inventive and clean, the cinematography is varied and beautiful, and the actors are all elevating the words on the page. Unfortunately, the story itself seems to be the biggest issue. The film looks to be a biting indictment of the class inequality that has run rampant and the corrupt individuals who further these damning actions. The point that this film is trying to make about greed and systemic racism leading to desperation amongst the impoverished is a powerful one, but the film does not succeed in making that point. These characters make foolish choices that do not make you sympathize with their plight in the least. The film often loses sight of what it is trying to accomplish in the face of an overstuffed script. The film saves itself from completely falling apart with a final twist that kept my eyes from rolling out of my skull, but the film left me feeling indifferent about what I had just experienced. I feel the anger and desperation radiating off these creative figures, but that energy is sadly lacking in the final product.
Video Quality
Cut Throat City comes to Blu-Ray with a gorgeous AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. This film has some nice pops of color with everything appearing very natural from the greens of the foliage to the vivid hues in the production design. The color palette mostly remains natural with a stark eye towards the decay of the city. Where the transfer really shines is the impressive level of detail in even the subtlest aspects. Everything from the smallest facial details to the texture of the interior of the home is quite impressive. The picture is mostly clear with only brief instances of murkiness during a few darker scenes. Black levels are admirable but could stand to be a bit deeper. Skin tones are natural throughout with some impeccable details present in certain shots. The film sports some luscious cinematography, and that is showcased pretty well here. Overall, this is quite a powerful transfer.
Audio Quality
The film comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is quite powerful and well balanced. Environmental effects play a substantial role in the film, and this track brings these elements to life quite capably. The use of the rear channels to create a fully enveloping world works quite well. The directionality is quite precise so sounds always present as natural when coming from their respective points. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overwhelmed by any of the other sounds. Activity in the low end delivers quite a jolt during much of the presentation. Well Go USA has delivered a fierce track for a film that capably brings New Orleans to life.
Special Features
- Behind The Scenes: A nine-minute featurette with the cast and crew discussing the themes of the film, the characters they play, working with RZA and more.
- Deleted Scenes: Ten minutes of unused footage from six scenes featuring Cousin discussing his empire with Blink, the guys freaking out after an encounter with Cousin, the guys remembering Andre and more. These are quite interesting, but understandably left out since the film is already pretty lengthy.
- Teaser Trailer: The minute-and-a-half teaser trailer is provided here that is pretty exciting and sells the movie well.
- Trailer: A nearly two-and-a-half-minute trailer that shows a bit more of the film, but reveals a bit too much of the plot. The teaser is the perfect length for this story.
Final Thoughts
Cut Throat City has all the makings of a great film, but a messy, overstuffed script keeps the good parts from thriving on the screen. RZA continues to prove he is a more than capable director stylistically while getting intense, natural performances from his actors. The film serves as a capable crime thriller, but something that will evaporate from your mind soon after you have finished with it. Well Go USA has delivered a Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a few interesting special features. If you are a fan of the performers, there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours, but don’t expect this film to elevate the genre.
Cut Throat City will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 20, 2020.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Well Go USA Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
