Super Fly T.N.T.

Well I thought the original was all over the place ... the sequel is actually even more so. Even if they did a location change (and I reckon since Italy was quite cheap to shoot at in the 70s they probably shot there too, not that it matters), this is quite a dull watch overall. Even with the charismatic lead.

As with the first one, I am not aware of production issues or the history of the making of. Historically it is known that it wasn't easy for African American/black people to get an acting job. So I guess it makes sense that Ron O'Neal directed this as well. Maybe he bit more than he could chew though. Even with the addition of a great character actor, there was not much to save ... Blaxploitation fans may feel different overall. And maybe I'm spoiled with something like Black Dynamite that is just pitch perfect ...

Ron O'Neal isn't merely fly; he isn't even simply Super Fly. He's nothing less than Super Fly TNT, tooling around Rome in an expensive-looking car, dressing like a runway model and being asked by Roscoe Lee Brown (who's sporting a French accent) to come to Africa to save them from Whitey.

O'Neal, however, has to spend the first hour or so of the movie looking fabulous for going horse riding , before he grows bored in eight seconds at a poker game, flies down to Africa, is immediately stripped and whipped by some very white guys, imprisoned, escapes, and saves the world.

Alex Haley got paid for helping write this. I hope he thinks he got paid enough for the hit to his reputation.

Everything that was right with the original "Super Fly" is wrong here. The original was the true definition of "independent film making;" very small budget, humble, and passionate. Nobody involved was famous, or a "big shot," and that gave the movie a kind of innocence that is lost on this showy sequel. The biggest mistake was taking the action out of New York City, as the ghetto backdrop played such a major role in the story, and it defined exactly who the character, Priest was. For this sequel the action is moved to more exotic settings of Italy, and later Africa. Thus the connection to the first film is lost. Everything here is bigger, more expensive, and everyone involved is more self-important due to the success they found with the first movie; thus the heart is lost as well. This is typical example of what goes wrong with sequels of great movies. The same thing happened with the "Penitentiary" franchise. The first one was an excellent piece of independent cinema, made with no money by a team of unknowns, and it was followed by an awful sequel, devoid of passion or artistic value. As far as Ron O'Neal, the man who made Priest such a fascinating character; he wasn't given the kinds of roles that he should have gotten. But he truly redeems himself after "Super Fly TNT," a few years later, with the excellent grindhouse classic "The Hitter," a film that received no attention, but is a million times better than this shallow vanity piece. I would encourage any fan of "Super Fly" and Ron O'Neal to skip this lame sequel and search out "The Hitter" instead.

This movie bored the snot out of me.

I had seen the original Superfly first. I wanted more of the same. Butt kicking, hard slapping, big bad PIMPING.

This movie has a retired Priest, (aka Superfly, the hero of the first film) living it up in Rome, approached by a wannabe rebel leader from a small West African nation, trying to get out from under the yoke of colonial oppression by THE MAN. He wants Priest to run some guns into the war-torn African nation for him.

Imagine my shock when I discovered just now that this film was co-written by ALEX HALEY, the author of the fantastic "Roots." That first came on TV when I was a kid, as one of the last of the big network television "events" before Cable TV really got wide latitude. That was along lines of The Beatles on Ed Sullivan (before my time) a Super Bowl, or the "Who Shot J.R." episode (I remember that hype too). But "Roots" was a great piece of art, and I mean EVERYBODY but EVERYBODY watched it, whatever color your skin happened to be.

This movie was a waste and a disaster, but I guess Alex Haley is where the idea of the African setting came from (idle speculation on my part).

Anyway, I guess they were trying to do something new with the character, but the concept was utterly wrong-headed from the start. The movie is also REALLY SLOW. It takes about 45 minutes before he gets to Africa! Too long! And the whole side story with Robert Guillame as a fellow American in Rome, an artist with a fantastic singing voice, was just a waste of time.

Original Superfly: 8 out of 10. This tripe: 3 out of 10.

It's still much better than THE GUY FROM HARLEM, though.

I recently watched Super Fly T. N. T (1973) on Facebook. The storyline follows Super Fly, who has retired from the street life and moved to Rome. As he attempts to settle down and distance himself from his past, he encounters new people who remind him of his responsibility to guide others along a different path. Initially hesitant, our hero must decide whether to show others that success and happiness can be found outside of hustling and drugs.

Directed by and starring Ron O'Neal (Up Against the Wall), the film also features notable actors like Roscoe Lee Brown (Logan's Run), Sheila Frazier (Three the Hard Way), Robert Guillaume (Benson), Jacques Sernas (Helen of Troy) and William Berger (Hercules).

While this movie has all the ingredients for a worthwhile picture, they somehow aren't blended smoothly for the viewer's journey. The beautiful settings are underutilized, and although the dialogue is well-written, the self-reflection and comedy detract from the primary plot. The self-reflection could have been more effectively integrated. Additionally, while the horseback riding scenes are humorous, they feel somewhat out of place based on the character. However, the soundtrack and jive elements, as expected, add to the film's appeal.

In conclusion, Super Fly T. N. T contains some worthwhile bits and pieces but falls short as a whole. I would rate it 4/10 but still recommend watching it at least once.