Cappadonna :: Iron Fist Pillage
Video: Skypilot Entertainment
Author: Steve 'Flash' Juon

Imagine "The Godfather" with Notorious B.I.G. as Don Vito Corleone. Imagine "The Usual Suspects" with Nas as Verbal Kint. If these concepts make sense to you, then you can understand what Flix Remix from Skypilot Entertainment is all about. Of course, visually inserting the rap artists we know and love into classic films could be done but it would cost millions upon millions of dollars to make it believable - just ask the special effects team of "Jurassic Park." On the other hand, DUBBING the voices of people into films is not only easy but done routinely. In fact, the Kung-Fu films that we all know and love are a perfect example - their grammatically unique english became fodder for samples on classic Wu-Tang Clan records.

The set-up of the film is fairly simple: the real Cappadonna, presented as a teacher and philospher, takes a break to meditate and falls into a chronic induced deep sleep. The film we are watching is his dream, in which he imagines himself as the protagonist. Cappa fucks with a Don of sorts named Smitty, and has a main squeeze named Butterfly whose symbol is tatted onto his chest. Smitty gets assassinated and Cap is expected to take the fall, and the crew promises to come through for him in a year when the heat dies down. This is the focal plot point which forces Cappadonna into a world of intrigue where his friends are enemies, enemies are friends, and he has no idea who he can trust. The only two things he's sure is that his man Sweets was fingered by crew member Cain for stealing from the crew, and Cain may be the one who is trying to off him. His other road dawg Stubs left when Cain started to wild out, and after a tense initial meeting Cap decides to trust Stubs and the two set out to find Sweets.

The film itself is presented in letterbox format - a definite plus. The print the film is transferred from is far from perfect, although many of the classic Kung-Fu fans will find the flickering picture and wavering lines akin to the staticky sound on old records - an enhancement rather than a detraction. They may also be forgiving of the fact the original film itself was flawed when it was first shot. Scenes are out of focus or poorly focused, the colors are badly translated (especially fleshtones) and camera angles give even this letterbox edition the appearance of a pan-and-scan transfer. It's somewhat ironic to watch a digital video of a film without digital video quality but fuck it, if you wanted that shit go rent "The Matrix" or something - this ain't the movie for you.

Much like the original Kung-Fu movies, at least half of the entertainment is in the dubbing itself - although in this case it's more intentional. Drop dead hilarious lines like, "I told you never to play that Vanilla Ice shit on my jukebox!" and "Give me this fuckin P. Diddy bullshit-ass poster man" are peppered throughout the film. Although RapReviews.com doesn't endorse the use of pharmaceuticals or alcohol abuse (especially if you're under the age of 21) it's no lie that the comedy of these films is enhanced when your mind is relaxed. It's also recommended for your maximum viewing pleasure that you gather a group of two to four of your closest friends so that when one starts laughing the others can share the joke. That's really the best way to appreciate this film. There are better Kung-Fu movies out there (dubbed or undubbed) and there are better hip-hop movies, but the comedy of the film works as a whole. In fact the sincerity of Cappadonna's lines is part of the joke itself whether intended or not, with absurd tough talking lines like, "Don't be scared, I'ma dart all these niggaz down." Word? Gonna dart 'em Cappa? For whatever reason, enjoy "Iron Fist Pillage" - it's not a great movie, or a cinematic masterpiece, but it's good for a few laughs.

Content: 5 of 10 Fun Factor: 7 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 6 of 10

Originally posted: December 8, 2001
source: www.RapReviews.com