J.D.'s Revenge (1976)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
This blaxploitation film starts off in the 1940s as a man is shot dead by some mobsters. Fast-forward to the current times and law student Isaac (Glynn Turman) is out with his girlfriend and friends when he is hypnotized. It doesn't take long for something to snap in Isaac and before he knows it he's got the spirit of the dead man in him and he goes seeking revenge.
J.D.'s REVENGE is a pretty good blaxploitation movie that not only pay homage to the various gangster classics but it also has a touch of the Jekyll and Hyde storyline. I'm a little surprised that this film isn't better known among fans of the genre because the picture is quite sleazy at times and features all the terrific dialogue and situations that you'd expect.
I think some of the best moments happen towards the end and especially when the Isaac character begins to change and become more and more like a gangster rather than his "good" self. Turman does a very good job in the role as he's basically playing two different parts and he's quite believable in both. I especially liked him in the role of the bad guy and I thought the actor did a marvelous job at switching back and forth between the characters as well as the multiple personalities of the bad guy. You also get some nice supporting performances including Louis Gossett, Jr. as a Reverend with a few secrets of his own.
The horror elements of the picture are good for what they are but I think a lot of people will be shocked to see how sleazy the movie is. There's all sorts of nudity as well as a couple graphic sex scenes that help make the picture stand out. You've also got that "jive" or hip style of talking throughout and this too adds to the entertainment. J.D.'S REVENGE might not be the most original movie out there but there are a lot of good elements that make it worth watching.
