If you are a fan of 70's Blaxploitation films, you will understand where this film originates from.
Reggie is a poor schlub living in his Aunt's garage home. He's a slob, works at a dead-end government job and clearly doesn't take care of himself. And worse, the town big wig is attempting to gentrify his community. On a fateful day (Hallowe'en) his office is robbed by a nutty crackhead with guns and explosives. BUT, he also starts to see vision of an ethereal being who gives him a set of magical nunchucks which thwarts the robbery. This is where the infamous "Afro Ninja" viral video comes from. The crackhead blows up the office, knocking Reggie unconscious. Upon recovery, strange things began to happen for Reggie.
The mystical premise and the martial arts will be very familiar to those who watch this genre cinema from the 70's and early 80's. At the core it is to save the neighborhood. The movie isn't a parody of that genre, which was done very well in a movie like "I'm Gonna Git Ya Sucka!" Which it seemed to want to go down this road. Instead, it may take itself a little too seriously.
Actor/Director Mark Hicks does an admirable job in sticking with the tropes of that era. However, it sometimes falls flat with the clunky insertion of feats of skill he eventually gets. Also, the true message of the film doesn't get revealed until the very end.
Actress Natascha Hopkins is also a sweet "sidekick" character and love interest. It's a bit uneven when it comes to her involvement in Reggie. I'm not sure it plays well when she begins to like him after he evolves to the "Afro Ninja" James Black is great. Commitment to this type of villainy is cartoonish and silly. But he makes those moments play.
Yes, the film is sloppy at parts, but the bones are there to have a cheeky nod at a bygone era of heroes sprung from mystical places. The cameos of Jim Kelly and Marla Gibbs add a sweetness to the project.
For the ones who are looking for a chop-socky rock 'em sock 'em flick, this will fall short. For those looking to be hit with nostalgia of silly fun, this does the trick.
