Super Fly T.N.T.

Superfly T.N.T is a highly entertaining sequel which deserves more credit than it very often gets. I loved everything about this one with the exception of the soundtrack (I liked this soundtrack but missed Curtis Mayfield) and the film's finale (which doesn't end on as high a note as the original film since this time Priest's new line of hustling has just started). Alex Haley and Ron O'Neal did excellent work on this film. Haley's script is both powerful and fun. O'Neal makes a good directorial debut. He's even better in the role of Priest this time than in the original Superfly. Superfly T.N.T. has a fine cast too. It's one of my favorite films of the era and my favorite of the three Superfly movies (although they are all worth seeing). This is a great film if you can accept the soundtrack (very appropriate but not as cool as Mayfield) and the finale (Priest's work has just begun so there's no easy ending). God Bless Ron O'Neal and Alex Haley.

Having left New York City with a large sum of money gained by his sale of illegal drugs, "Youngblood Priest" (Ron O'Neil) has eventually settled down in Rome with his girlfriend "Georgia" (Sheila Frazier). Yet even though he spends his time driving an expensive Lamborghini and playing poker with some acquaintences, Priest is still not content with life. This changes when he meets a man named "Dr. Lamine Sonko" (Roscoe Lee Browne) who tells him that he is trying to wage a revolution in his West African nation of Umbria and needs Priest's help in laundering diamonds into money to pay for weapons. Although he has seen poverty all of his life, Priest refuses to help and this leaves Dr. Sonko extremely angry with him. And with that Priest feels even more empty inside. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this sequel wasn't nearly as good as the original in that it lacked the passion and raw energy of its predecessor. Even so it wasn't terribly bad overall and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

The premise of this sequel is not a bad one: a retired Priest, living in Europe, has his conscious stirred by African rebels needing help overthrowing their colonial government, and decides to help them. However, this movie takes forever to get started, and then takes forever to get to an end that feels unsatisfying and unfinished. Unlike the first movie, the musical score is terrible. It's no wonder this movie bombed in theaters and took forever to be released on video.

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.

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.