Boricua's Bond

I absolutely hated this movie. First there were hardly any Boricua's in the film. The story was, wait, what story? It was worst than a student film. I think the director got into some money, got some singers and rappers to be in the film and then shot random scenes, not necessarily caring whether the end result would make sense or not. Don't get fooled by Big Pun appearing on the movie poster. He is in the movie a total of about five minutes and that's only because the brilliant (can you sense my sarcasm) director used the same part of Big Pun in the beginning and then again in the end. Director,(hmmm. does he even deserve that title? uhhh, NO) at any rate, Val Lik went on to create a film where every negative stereotype about latinos were blatantly perpetuated. The movie absolutely disgusts me and it will go down as the worst movie I have seen to date.

Realistic and richly layered, yet somewhat flawed, `Boricua's Bond' is a slice of life drama about street life in the South Bronx. Some great performances by non-pro neighborhood kids (the standout being street thug Axel, the film's roly-poly comic relief, who strips naked whenever the mood strikes), and cool cameos from the likes of rappers Treach, Method Man and Redman. An impressive first feature debut from writer, director, co-producer AND co-star Val Lik, who apparently grew up on these mean streets and decided to make a movie about them instead of becoming another casualty of them.

This film seems like it was inspired by a bunch of guys that sat around in the Bronx drinkin' and smokin' and laughin' at each others jokes and putdowns, then figured, "we ought to make a movie about this". Although there were moments that worked (many of the amateurs gave relatively inspired performances), the movie basically send a negative message: that Blacks and Puerto Ricans are enemies (ignoring the fact that Puerto Ricans are a mulatto race). It also perpetuates the idea that Boricuas dream and aspire to be white. Simple minds are easily influenced by this kind of tripe. For example, joanna 9 writes in her review on this website that she's from P.R. and never lived in NY, but then goes on to say that blacks mistreat Puerto Ricans. What a genius. Finally, most of the blame for the negative portrayal of Blacks in this (and any other) film rests squarely on the shoulders of the Black "actors". There are no whites in blackface to blame anymore.

I saw this movie one late night, and could only WISH I could get my time back. It's a hispanic version of Boyz n' The Hood, but they took out a few things like good acting, good dialogue, a plot... I understand that the actors (and I use the word loosely) are not pros, but once you see the movie, you'll understand why. Character development is nil, camerawork is atrocious. This film perpetrates everybody in this neighborhood as a thug, a whore or something of the type. Not ONE person in the movie shows any redeeming value, except the white boy, the reason for the 'plot' of this movie. Once you see this movie, and I'm sorry for you if you do, you'll understand my One Line Summary.

Yo this movie, from an actors standpoint. I thought it was actually not bad if you look at the camera angles. It is a movie that is real, not fake like all other Hollywood movies. Some may not like it because it is not Hollywood. It is a movie that is too much real life to be appreciated. I read that the fat guy that got naked was disturbing. Come on, how classic was that. Everyone that has grown up in NY has a friend like that. All us NYorkers do. That is what makes us so unique. This movie may have had bad reviews because no one outside of NY really understands what goes on inside the borough's. If you knock this movie, you must be from outside of NY. Anyone who doesn't see the artistic value of this movie is foolish.