Screen Scene
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 30, 2002 9:00 p.m.
“Undercover Brother” Directed by: Malcolm D.
Lee Starring Eddie Griffin, Denise Richards, and Chris
Kattan
Hold on to your afros because “Undercover Brother”
is an absolute trip. A bad trip to a town of funk, that is. As a
parody to all of the 1970s blaxploitation movies like
“Shaft,” “Sweet Sweetback’s Badaaasss
Song,” and “Black Caesar,” “Undercover
Brother” recycles all the motifs and stereotypes from that
genre to make one really bad movie. The plot capitalizes on the
usual blaxploitation theme of “The Man” trying to
oppress all the black brothers and sisters. In this movie,
“The Man,” with the aid of his second-in-command Mr.
Feather (Chris Kattan), implement Operation Whitewash to brainwash
and “Caucasianize” all the black public figures around
the world. The Brotherhood, an underground organization, cracks
down on the conspiracy and needs Undercover Brother (Eddie Griffin)
to help stop the evil-doing. With some hits as well as misses, the
film did have some biting, politically incorrect humor, especially
with Conspiracy Brother (David Chapelle) and his lack of restraint,
saying all the things that are on everyone’s mind.
Unfortunately, all of its satire cannot save the entire picture and
its really lame moments. At certain points, for some reason, the
movie just falls short of creativity. For example, in a getaway
action sequence, Undercover Brother and Sista Girl (Aunjanue Ellis)
engage in a golf cart chase with some bad guys that is so
predictable that the audience can dictate exactly what will happen.
The let-downs at those moments of unrealized potential make the
whole movie a pity to watch. Out to offend as well as endear, the
movie is so ridiculous that laughing is the only option because
“Undercover Brother” is only a bad movie hiding behind
a psychedelic 1970s “Shaft” shield of nostalgia. –
Mary Dang
