Bottom of the Coaster

Rating: 5/10 (12 June 2020)

Wow. There are brief moments, but they are so brief I can't even recall them. Da 5 Bloods plays as if a film student who really likes Spike Lee tried to make a Spike Lee film. There are shot call backs to every Lee film, even some familiar rhythm in editing. Moments of preachiness appear as with every Lee film, but this film handles them like a turkey playing checkers. As for production design and setting, it's rather cheap. Da 5 Bloods was made for Netflix and it shows. Not much care went into this film. Ultimately, as with every bad film, the problem begins with the screenplay. Even if Lee set out to make a meaningful film, he didn't stand a chance with the script. Spike Lee fans may forgive him for his ham handed film making here, but history will list Da 5 Bloods as Da Dud.