State Property

State Property (2002) was a typical gangster (now gangsta') movie like we've seen since the 1930's. A previous IMDB reviewer wrote that it alluded to Goodfellas. It goes back much further than that. Beans Sigel's character, Beans, is very reminiscent of Rico Bandello, from Little Caesar (1930's). (Rico's character has become so intertwined with popular culture, it is parodized by Chief Wiggum on the Simpsons).

Beans, tired of being broke, and seeing no end to his financial troubles in sight, decides that the only way to improve his station in life is to make it happen his own way- through a murderous rampage to extend his criminal empire. Sounds familiar? It should if you've seen Scarface, Little Caesar, Goodfellas, and literally dozens of other crime/gangster/gangsta' movies. Like all of these movies, the ambitious young character, Beans, not satisfied with an incredible fortune wants more, possible too much. Also, much like many of the central characters that came before him, more than money, Beans wants respect.

The movie was better than IMDB users have rated it, but not stellar. Parts of it are gripping, but from the moment Beans gets his grand idea of starting his criminal empire, you know how it will end. It's enjoyable if you like gangster films and are fascinated by the justifications of morality that these gangsters use. But if you're looking for an installation that brings a whole new twist to a genre, look elsewhere. This plot's been done. Ironically, towards the end, Beans encapsulates this point perfectly: "The players change; the game stays the same." Beans is the new player, in a plot dating back almost a century.

Cheers,

TK

Fade in. Show picture of hommies. Enter voice-over. Beans (Beanie Sigel) tells us what a dog eat dog world this is. All about the Benjamins y'all. Enter titles sequence - lots of pole dancing, close shots of silicon enhanced nipples and focus on ho's wiggling that thang! Camera focus on Beanie and Baby Boy getting down with the girlies. Enter brain light-bulb. Beanie thinks: Yo, had enough of being a poor mother... Time to get rich or die trying. Six weeks later: Beans, Baby Boy and a couple of thugs start randomly shooting drug dealers in broad daylight to take over their business. No police or thugs to hand out pay-back. A year later: Beans rules all, moves out to the suburb, but still shoots, kills or whatever. A dozen or so incoherent sequences of hood crime idiocy later the movie ends. Yo! That was so not cool!

Bad acting, terrible phony script (or more like random parts of scripts clinging together with the use of duct tape) and a tiresome 90 minutes of low-budget pointlessness. Not much more to add but honestly avoid at all costs. It may be low-budget, but that does not take the director off the hook of making something as tacky and superficial as this. Why the hell did anyone make a second part?

This movie should've been called 'Urban Stereotypes For Dummies' as it uses every cliché imaginable. The story is a Scarface-wannabe, street thugs rising up in the drug world. While Scarface may have glorified this type of life, this movie just dragged out a plot that it couldn't successfully deliver. The acting is non-existent. I've seen better cold readings than this. And the directing just plain stunk. Too many close ups. The director should consider using medium and long shots on occasion.

I'm going to change my cable provider if movies like this are the best they can offer.

Let me start off first by saying, that just by looking at the cast I came to the conclusion that this movie would be terrible. But I decided to give it a chance, and I regret it because I wasted an hour and an half where I could have been doing something a bit more constructive rather than seeing senseless violence. The movie starts off with the introduction of the character Beans, a local drug dealer. Feeling frustrated with his mediocre street credibility, he proceeds to start knocking off the local competition.

All is well until he bucks heads with Untouchable Jay, or some name along that line, and engages in a all out gang war. In the end he gets 3 life sentences, emphasizing that Beans is indeed State Property. I would write more, but I am staring to get a headache just thinking about this movie and the time I wasted watching it. And even if you have a hour and half to spare, go do something else, do not subject you brain to such mush.

This was actually one of the worst films I have seen to date. It was surprising because believe it or not, i usually like these low-budget hip hop films, they usually seem a bit realistic to me. However this was one WAS NOT! It was fake, wow so fake. The R.O.C. doesn't impress me with this film. The acting is not that great, the lead was horrible although I liked Omillio Sparks, Memphis Bleek and Damon Dash in their roles. I thought this film bit off so many films it was sort of pitiful. The script wasn't that great either, weak dialogues. I just think this is the perfect example for the idea that these people should stick to making music not movies. 4/10