Set after Hurricane Katrina, four boyhood friends out of options reluctantly accept an offer to pull off a dangerous heist in the heart of New Orleans.
It's only now that I realise heist movies have always been predominantly a caucasian genre. Most heist films will have one "ethnically diverse" character in their crew, but to find a film that is either majority or completely non-white? That is a very limited batch of films, such as Set It Off (starring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett, Vivica A. Fox and Kimberly Elise), Juice (starring Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine Hopkins and Khalil Kain), and technically the Fast and Furious franchise.
It is likely that Juice--which starred Tupac Shakur--was a huge source of inspiration for Cut Throat City, even going as far as to cast Demetrius Shipp Jr. who has portrayed Tupac Shakur in the biography All Eyez On Me. Juice follows four black youths growing up in Harlem, and their struggles with police harassment, neighbourhood gangs, and their families. Cut Throat City includes many similar struggles, but is located in the post-Katrina 9th Ward of New Orleans, and primarily focuses on the inequality between the goals of the white and black communities.
Following four creative protagonists, that have done everything right; they had good jobs, they had avoided criminal activities, paid all of their bills, and had insurance. The 9th Ward of New Orleans finds most of the FEMA money is being funnelled towards financing casino rebuilds rather than supporting the impoverished black communities whose livelihoods were washed away by Katrina. Interestingly enough, this subplot actually makes Cut Throat City much more of a politically driven drama than an action heist flick.
As such the film is split into different sections; the first act which introduces our protagonists and includes the majority of the action and heist action; the second act which is exposition-rich and aims to enlighten the audience about the real-life oppression and lack of support that the black communities have received as they attempt to co-exist in a city that is gradually being converted into more and more casino complexes (a trend that existed before Hurrican Katrina but has accelerated unhindered since the disaster). It is a topic that is fascinating (14 years since Katrina hit, only 350 permits for new home builds had been issued, compared to massive casinos benefitting from a law change that allows them to be built further inland, with 8 casinos rebuilt and a further 14 new casinos in various stages of planning and construction).
While compelling a subplot (that I encourage you to look up and do some research into), it complicates the story of Cut Throat City to the point that the heist is not a significant part of the plot. It is merely a device that pushes our protagonists into learning more about the history of New Orleans and allows the audience to learn about what is effectively a conspiracy that is barely connected to the initial storyline. The film pushes the concept of "home" and uses several references to The Wizard of Oz, with our protagonists wanting nothing more than to be able to return to the place that has scorned them; they are unhappy with their situation, but not willing to abandon their home.
Directed by RZA (of Wu-Tang Clan fame), the film lacks a strong narrative direction, weighed down by unwieldy and extensive exposition. Struggling to maintain the pacing that was established in the comedic, action-packed first act, the film mistakes character introductions as plot, hoping that presence of Shameik Moore, T.I., Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, or Ethan Hawke will make up for a lack of functional story. Too wrapped up in its own politics, the disregard for its primary story thread leads to a confusing final act that tries to merge the two conflicting angles of the previous two acts.
Visually, Cut Throat City has been well-produced. Set design is on point, and costuming feels authentic. The film is simply let down by a weak script, and poor direction. If you enjoy the New Orleans aesthetic and the intricacies of the "gangsta" lifestyle, you will likely enjoy this film; there is enough violence and nudity to keep you entertained. If you want an engaging story, however, the inconsistent manner in which characters enter and exit the story will prove tiring, and the story threads that are simply disregarded and forgotten will leave you scratching your head.
Cut Throat City is in cinemas from August 20, 2020