88

88

Political drama "88" aims to be more eye-opening than the likes of "Irresistible" or "The Ghost Writer" - lofty & noble ambition, that it totally fails to meet as its plodding on-the-nose 2hr+ screenplay is poorly delivered by a virtually unknown cast (William Fichtner a minor exception). Super-PAC finance chief Brandon Victor Dixon discovers that 75% of funding for black presidential candidate Orlando Jones comes anonymously from white supremacist sources. Cue questions on 'Who' & 'How' (tho infuriatingly no-one asks 'Why' (to save the 'punchline' til the end - sigh)). Writer / director Eromose may have an important message to relay... but this ain't how to relay it.

The film looks and feels like it could have been good. But, alas, it is not. It trots out all these conspiracies and endeavors to link them together. Some scenes are downright amateur. The politician being interviewed by the journalist, ugh. And, that whole narrative and journalist interview segment should have been cut. Now, for the most part, the acting is good. I thought Orlando Jones was great. We need to see more of him. And, Orlando demonstrates he can be effective in various genres. The writer/director should have had some supervision. Or, perhaps wear less hats on his/her next project. Brandon Victor Dixon as the main protagonist does a fine job.

An entertaining political thriller on the surface and an examination of racism and its many facets and disturbing history underneath. A rather unique and ambitious film with great performances that stays with you long after it ends. Highly recommended.

I've always been a fan of suspenseful political thrillers: the cat and mouse, the mystery to be solved, a complex web unraveling, etc. So when I heard Eromose was doing a Political thriller I was excited because he knows how to do suspense and handle atmosphere. This has proven to be a strength of his in all of the films he has directed. This film, in actuality, was more of a mix genre piece with a lot of different elements than what you would typically find in the tropes of a standard political thriller. There is a familial element to it and although I've always been a viewer more geared towards the detached and plots revolving around singular individuals, even loners, this familial element did lead to one of the best scenes in the film, a father son conversation accentuated beautifully with blue and red police strobe lightning, and the tone from start to finish was handled perfectly in that sequence. An unexpected moment that not only hits strong but that showed Eromose has visual flare and then some. The bar scene, another brilliant exhibition of mastering a sequence and the visual image with editing, tone, framing, suspense and atmosphere. The sequence with the guard and the elevator, as he gets out of there just in time and we see a glimpse of who emerges to meet him. More than ever: these moments, images, and sequences in 88 show that Eromose is a skilled director who can do drama, family pieces, suspense thrillers, probably even comedies and horror but whereas he can do a lot of different genres well because of his mastery of the craft of filmmaking, the fact remains that he would kill if he was in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action or even Westerns. Any one of these genres would play to his strengths. So while a capable director with the full overall package and skill set, I am eager to see more of Eromose's work in the future hopefully lean into one of the more kinetic visual genres, but I am grateful for the three superb visual sequences I received in 88, the father son police convo, the friend to friend chat at the bar over a drink untouched, and the elevator scene with the guard and the man not met. Don't be fooled by the fact that this Director has a hold over the fundamentals of filmmaking and his execution is sound; he has massively untapped potential and fuel in the tank waiting to be ignited in the visually atmospheric genres. 88 is worth a watch as it has a lot of different elements to like but I'm watching to see what this director does next.

I don't give 10s and rarely give 9s, so this is an A grade. This movie kept me on the edge of my seat. A political thriller that does not follow conventional story-telling patterns. The filmmaker kept me guessing throughout. A Tribeca gem, this piece holds a mirror to the flawed political system without removing the filmmaker's neutrality, this allowing the audience to ponder the implications of the plot twists without bias. There are genuine tense moments that build suspense and anticipation. In the vein of whodunits but without campy humor or over the top tropes. The ending does not leave me any room for character empathy or a feeling of finality to the journey. It only left me saying, "where do we go from here?"

I was fortunate enough to catch this film when it was available and it did not disappoint. I find lately with my entertainment, i crave less and less the pretentious and seek the profound. Films with tales that actually have something to say. Eromose is a fantastic story teller and in this fresh take of a political thriller are revamped, reimagined and even new elements of this genre that already has a plethora of other film entries of its kind. This is the kind of filmmaker that truly is a master of his craft and takes his work seriously , which shows in his product. My hope is to see a wide release of this film but even more so, i look forward to seeing more work from the director in the future.

88 is a political thriller with a pointed message for *right now*. I went to the theatre for a few hours of mindful entertainment and was thrilled to find a thought-provoking, riveting and well-told story. Lovers of political thrillers will be deeply satisfied. Movie buffs will notice the nods to Hitchcock, Scorsese and All the President's Men. 70s babies like me will reminisce about School House Rock during a brief and brilliant segment/explainer on SuperPacs and Citizens United. Must see.

These reviews are hilarious. They've been written by spammers and bots. Each review is vague and meaningless. One reviewer wrote the following; "The director's debut features Idris Elba, before he became a planet". Someone was obviously paid to write a review in their native language and google translate was utilized to provide an English translation. We know people do this all the time. Idris Elba does not STAR in this film nor is he affiliated with this product. 88's review section is a perfect of the content you will find in this film. It is an incoherent mess with a ludicrous plot and immensely deceptive messaging. Orlando Jones couldn't save this. Every plot point was so basic and predictable. The biggest problem with this movie is that it's fantasy. It would have worked better as a "Twilight Zone"/"Black Mirror" episode.

88 is a thought-provoking film with a phenomenal and diverse cast. At the beginning of the film, I was a little lost with the political conversations, but then there was a great animated sequence explaining Super PACs and the roles non-profits play. It was pretty informative (to me). The plot is a deep dive into American politics and associated conspiracy theories. It's quite a rabbit hole; truly crazy, mind-blowing, and frightening stuff that is unearthed by the protagonist. I believe one of the main goals of 88 is to encourage conversation about complex topics, especially given how the movie ends. (No Spoilers) Also, whether you're into politics or not, I recommend this film because, with politics aside, it's also a story about values and family.