True to the Game 3

Where the hell did Gina go after leaving Police Station? Q flew into town, Shoog been by the house, where was she?

Bria how STUPID is she? That hard up?

What an unexpected gem! Those long, static shots, overwrought seriousness and ludicrous plot devices of 2 were tossed aside in favor of energetic scenes, actors freely embodying more realized characters, and, dare I say, a delicious pulp flavor! Whether Shoog gives cops the cold shoulder, someone is being pressed for information or an assassin is on the move, the deliveries are rollicking and tucked in with humorous innuendo. Really, keep your ears perked. While a heartbreaking scene between Gah-Git (Starletta DuPois) and Shoog (Vivica A. Fox) steals the show, special mention to Saleem's (Jeremy Meeks) absolute flourish in this pulp environment! It felt like the cast was given license - at long last - to truly bring their characters to bear. That showcase of talent, coupled with a far more intense presentation gives the impression of a more generous budget than the last installment. Wish the whole series had this feel (a testament to the directing and writing)! It's a perfect fit for the themes presented - leaving the viewer with a desire to watch 3 again, as there were surely some awesome bits missed. (And if anyone launches a Gah-Git and Shoog road trip movie, I am here for it.)

The last addition to this series is probably the most tension filled. Per usual, the "main" character in the film Gena takes a backseat to the assorted characters and their stories involved in the criminal underworld. Bodies start dropping left and right, including a couple the audience might not have expected. Direction keeps pacing and tone the most level of all three installments. Acting still decent at best from the cast of performers. However, Kris D. Lofton as the main villain in this sequel is a standout. True to fashion in the series, production value remains a high point, with decent camerawork, editing, sound design, and music/score. The ending was bizarre on one front (I assume the books made certain things more clear than the films did) and offered an annoying trope on another. Recommendation? Anyone invested this far will probably want closure to the series. As a standalone crime thriller, nothing new is given to the genre here.

I love the split screen transistions! This is a great film to continue the trilogy. Low rating is a lie! Produced by several actors in the films. I want more!!! 😎

This film essentially takes up where its predecessor left of with both "Quadir" (Columbus Short) and "Gena" (Erica Peeples) having been reunited in Malibu while a drug lord's right-hand man named "Saleem" (Jeremy Meeks) continues to look for the people who stole his boss' stash of heroin. Meanwhile, Gena's sister "Bria" (Iyana Halley) and her two close friends "Shoog" (Vivica A. Fox) "Alia" (Niatia 'Lil Mama' Kirkland) are doing everything they can to keep both the police and Saleem from ascertaining their involvement in the deadly heist. But what nobody realizes is that a new player by the name of "Terrell" (Kris D. Lofton) has just been released from prison and he is even more dangerous than Saleem could ever hope to be. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I didn't think this movie was quite as good as the two films before it due in large part to several scenes that lacked credibility with Quadir's description of his top-secret revival being just one. Events like that might happen in Hollywood--but not in the real world. Having said that, however, while this was certainly not a great film by any means, it was still sufficient for the time spent and I have rated it accordingly. Average.