Mr. Mean

One would think that a Fred Williamson star vehicle, with Fred having the director's chair and the Ohio Players on the soundtrack would be a highly entertaining film. One would be wrong. This film is cluttered, boring, incredibly poorly acted. The villain is one of the least menacing I've ever seen-he's basically a pudgy shmuck. The only redeeming scene in the whole film involes Fred's giant medallion saving his life.

I rented this movie many years ago and since then I have told many people about this movie because it is SOOOO funny. I try to take into consideration that this movie was made in the 1970's and probably had a budget of $1000.00 but still. There are so many mistakes, tacky scenes, and just plain bad scenes that you should rent it just for a laugh. It's kind of like James Bond meets ghetto. Rent this movie at least once for a good laugh.

In the mid-70's, Fred Williamson began his own productions away from the big and mini-major studios that had been home to his best (and worst) films. After the Jesse Crowder duo and the really bad Mean Johnny Barrows, this one had a nice feel, good music, lots of smart and tough lines, and good action. Can it be stilted and rough-around-the-edges at times? Of course, but overall it's one of the better Hammers from his company and maybe the best of his directorial stuff.

This film begins in Los Angeles with a notorious gangster by the name of "Mr. Mean" (Fred Williamson) being hired to kill a powerful man named "Huberto" (Lou Castel) who has recently become involved in some unsavory business enterprises which have embarrassed the leading crime families in Rome. The problem is that Huberto just happens to be the leader of one of these crime families and in order to prevent a possible war the decision was made to bring in an outsider like Mr. Mean to avoid suspicion. Unfortunately, Huberto soon becomes aware of the contract and hires an equally notorious assassin named "Rommell" (Raymond Harmstorf) to kill Mr. Mean first. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was clearly not one of Fred Williamson's better films as it was both poorly written and edited. It also seemed to have a rather hurried aspect to it as well. To its credit, it does pick up a bit during the last 15 minutes or so and also has a surprising twist at the end which helps to a certain degree. Likewise, having an attractive actress like Crippy Yocard (as "Rene") certainly didn't hurt either. Sadly, none of these things could overcome the faults mentioned earlier and I have rated this movie accordingly. Below average.

Super bad icon Fred Williamson directs Fred Williamson in the Fred Williamson-tastic 70s hit man thriller Mr. Mean. Williamson's Mr. Mean is one virile and brutish hombre, and when he's not being a virile and brutish hombre he's kicking yo' muther's ass!!!! Hired to kill a sleazy mafia skell (Lou Castel), Mr. Mean is soon a marked man, but he brutally unmarks himself by kicking every muther-lovers ass!!! Right on!!!! Additional funky vibes are groovily gleaned from the pristine Ohio Players score. Scrappy scads of chronic, haymaker Kung Fu, dapper threads, Vesuvius hot chicks, Postcard perfect Rome locations, burly Alpha Raimund Harmsdorf, and a frankly bewildered Lou Castel makes Mr. Mean one righteously Euro-freaky scene! This action-jacked, enjoyably cheapnis Blaxploitation/Eurocrime, head-knocking hybrid is one bumpy ride, brother man, and comes with a funky little twist-let at the end. Right on!!!! Williamson is still the phooken man!!!!

'In between the sheets he's a dream, out on the streets he's a killing machine, but if y'all want the job done clean, and y'all got the folding green, you can rely on Mr. Mean!'