+++ Opinion +++
“Menace II Society” – also known in Germany as “Die Straßenkampfer” – is the brilliant 1993 directorial debut of twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes. Their America is not the land of limitless possibilities, but that of those left behind and hopeless. The underprivileged black population discussed here cannot escape the harsh laws of their ghetto-like neighborhood. That some of these people are being misled is only the logical consequence.
›› “Menace II Society” on Amazon Prime Video*
The ghetto never forgets!
Caine (Tyrin Turner), 18, grew up in an impoverished neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles. With no real perspective, he and his sidekick O-Dog (Larenz Tate) wander the area. In addition to the daily drug deals and thefts, there is even talk of a double murder when O-Dog shoots an Asian shopkeeper and his wife in cold blood. Only his relationship with single mom Ronnie (Jada Pinkett) makes Caine reconsider. But when he plans to leave the troubled area and his new family forever, the teen’s violent past mercilessly catches up with him…
hereditary violence
The residents of the ghetto struggle to survive in their own cosmos, far from the well-protected, predominantly white middle class of the US. A childhood memory of main character Cain clearly shows that the main characters are confronted with violence at a young age. In hindsight, his father (pretty bad: Samuel L. Jackson) shoots a fellow player who sits defenseless at the table in his own four walls during a round of cards — simply for refusing to pay off his debts.
As the main character, Caine, evolves – fueled by his love for the responsible Ronnie and a desire for a better world – O-Dog is a lost cause. He not only sells the drugs, but also consumes them. The murder of the Asian couple, in which the man only rebuts O-Dog’s insults and immediately takes a bullet, makes it clear at the beginning of the film that Caine’s best friend has long since thrown all moral concepts overboard.
As a viewer, it’s not that easy to find a suitable identifier – after all, Caine is also a serious criminal, despite his will to change. And no matter how hard Caine tries to outsmart the neighborhood’s woes, the tragic end is inevitable. Particularly shocking: The real danger does not come from outside, as in the form of racist cops, who are just an accessory in “Menace II Society”, but from within the community itself.
The new black cinema and its fruits
“Menace II Society” is not the first film of its kind in terms of location and issue, but it stands in the tradition of New Black Cinema. A genre in which African-American filmmakers use their own perspective to counteract the one-dimensional representation of black people in mainstream Hollywood.
Two years earlier, director John Singleton had already addressed the hopelessness of black youth in South Central LA in his award-winning ghetto drama Boyz N The Hood. But while there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon in the finale of “Boyz N The Hood,” “Menace II Society” leaves a bitter aftertaste. the but encourages reflection on a social problem that has lost none of its relevance nearly 30 years after the film’s release.
Bad slang and cool soundtrack
Despite the thematic explosiveness of “Menace II Society”, a certain coolness factor cannot be denied to the staging. The haunting hip-hop score from well-known artists such as Ice Cube and Too Short (who also appears in a supporting role), as well as the characters’ loose tongues with their inflationary use of swear words quickly made the rounds of movie fans – at least among the author’s friends. of this streaming tip.
“Menace II Society” on Amazon Prime Video
If you’re looking to catch up on the ’90s video store gem or refresh your childhood memories, you can now stream “Menace II Society” as an Amazon Prime member at no extra cost. You can find the link to it in the article above. The film is also available on DVD on Amazon. The slightly longer Director’s Cut, which includes some previously removed violent peaks, is not yet available in a German version except for unofficial bootlegs.