Four Brothers

2005 - Paramount Pictures
Directed By John Singleton

SYNOPSIS

When their adopted mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is killed in a store holdup, four adopted brothers (Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre (3000) Benjamin and Garret Hedlund) reunite for her funeral. When they find out she was a target and murdered b hired gunmen, they spring into action to find those responsible and make them pay.

MY THOUGHTS

 A perfect ‘guys movie.’

Director John Singleton has long had the 1970’s ‘blaxploitation’ films as a major influence and  Four Brothers bears this as strongly as his take on Shaft in 2000. The gritty urban landscape of Detroit (really Canada) looks like the setting of any number of those 70’s films as does the cinematography and the use of natural lighting. The soundtrack even features Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” (from the film of the same name) and Willie Hutch’s “Brothers Gonna Work It Out” (from The Mack) along with many other Motown gems.

The film also works as a western (albeit with an urban setting.) The story is a simple revenge that could just have easily been set in the old west. Just the guns would be different. Even the characters would translate nearly seamlessly.

The four brothers, despite their obvious racial differences, all actually act like real brothers. Mark Wahlberg and the others created these very different (and fully realized) characters that all gel perfectly together like real brothers would interact. They give each other crap, but definitely make sure no one else does. This adds even more realism to the film than the setting and cinematography. We get emotionally invested into the story deeper and care more for these guys because they seem like real people. When one of them falls in battle, we feel the pain of the loss along with the brothers.

The film is filled with great badass action scenes. The major gun battle outside the family’s home is the centerpiece of the action. The entire sequence is completely awesome. Shot composition and editing tell the story perfectly and create as much tension as the flying bullets do. Dialogue and sound effects are there, but are unnecessary. It’s a perfect action sequence… and one of many of the great aspects of this outstanding action-packed film.