Chique Critique: Set it off

SET IT OFF Action Drama Romance

"We aint gonna rob the bank we just gonna blow it up"

Four women with a lot of guts pain and frustrations and are in desperate need of an escape out of hell where they currently reside

Aneisha

Set it off in my opinion is based on the struggles of the average African American and the discrimination they receive at times. (Vivica A. Fox) who was a bank teller and lived in the hood knew the bank robbers who robbed the bank she worked in and was subsequently fired without being given a chance which is another issue of discrimination.

By her termination she encouraged her friends Cleo, Stony and Tisean to rob a bank as they were being oppressed by their employer Lurther. In the end they all ended up getting caught which resulted in the death of everyone except Stony. This is another example of how money can drive people to do the unthinkable.

Quiero

From beginning to end Set it off grabbed and held my attention. I never expected this film to begin on such an intense but excellent on point opening with the white lady's head being blown off in the bank and the blood spattering on Vivica A. Fox aka Frankie's face and clothes and ending on such a jaw dropping note with Queen Latifah aka Cleo dying as a true soldier shooting behind the police. When she drew her last cigarette I was in awe. I can definitely watch this movie a thousand times. It is the most realistic action movie that I've seen where the stars do die. I enjoyed each characters part and negative experience.

This movie really does depict the struggles facing Black African Americans in the Us and even here in Trinidad. Imagine after Jada Pinkett aka Stony prostitutes herself so that her brother could have a shot of going to college and a chance for betterment he is shot by the police because he had the same hair mark as the wanted man. Isn't that just messed up? coincidence is really a messed up thing that really does screw up people's lives. What also makes this movie more interesting is that it highlights the desperation in all of us to have a comfortable and happy life. Where some of us accomplish this goal through education others rob a bank. This movie is a must see. If you have not please do.

Kris

Set it off was an interesting movie that showed the unity of four women from the projects all in unfortunate unjust situations who attempt to cheat their negative circumstance through criminal activities i.e. robbing the banks. The first thing I noticed was the contrasting mentality of poor people from the projects and successful or educated persons in terms of ambition. The first scene that drew my attention to this was a scene between Stoney and her love interest educated bank manger Keith (played by Blair Underwood Smith) where he encourages her to make plans for her future. In a subsequent scene Stoney passes on that same insight to her friend Cleo where Cleo responds that she's not thinking about tomorrow she's trying to make it through today. The movie featured subliminal messages of women empowerment and shed light on the struggles and injustice of African Americans who live day to day below poverty line and shows how that lifestyle can make persons willing to contemplate turning to a life of crime.

Jojo

Set it off is another brilliant and entertaining movie. However the love story sub-plot was a bit of a distraction but only in a minor way. At the core of this film was the bond between these ladies all driven to rob banks for various reasons. What they all shared was their desperation and hope for a better life. Some have mentioned they did not like the ending but I rather did. Queen Latifah gave an outstanding performance as a hardened career criminal.

Furthermore this movie gives us a graphic insight in to the possibility of what people might do under certain circumstances and situations. These ladies misfortunes in life have driven them to do something that otherwise may not have entered their minds; to rob a bank. Anyone watching the movie in my opinion knows that what they were doing was just as morally wrong as what has happened to each one of them. But for some reason I found myself rooting for them, hoping that they get away with it. One line from the movie that I would never forget and alerted my attention was :If that crack head Darnell can rob a bank then so can we". This quote outlines the main message that the movie is trying to tell, the social standing of women in society, saying that they have rights too.

The movie says that women can basically do anything that men can do and probably better and they must be applauded for their efforts. Not saying that women should go rob a bank or anything along those lines. However it just shows that women have the same zeal, feelings and courage men have as individuals.

Amanda

Set it off is a true reflection of the trials that Black Americans face everyday. It speaks to a wide audience in that anyone who is experiencing these problems can relate to one of the four main characters. Though the film was created over fifteen years ago, these issues are still very relevant and prevalent; poverty, incarceration, discrimination, job loss, financial instability, crime, etc.

The four main characters, Stony Tisean, Frankie and Cleo really appealed to me as individuals. I liked the fact that even though each character had their own individual narrative the director was able to tie their stories together to make one incredible plot. I believe this is what made the film easy to relate to. The fact that there was a character in the film that in some way represented you and one of your struggles gave the film that extra streak of greatness. This speaks volumes to how much the film producers studied the audience of that time and how they would receive it. Their plight in the story was so true to life that nothing could make the film unbelievable.

We see emotions that we experience everyday coming out of different scenes in this film. There were so many times to laugh, cry, get angry and even be surprised and shocked. The film centres around the fact that these women all have some sort of unattainable goal and the only way to get it is to obtain money in illegal measures.

The were successful at their first attempts to rob banks on a small scale but when they decided to rob banks on a larger scale, this is when the problem arose. As the story goes; more money more problems. The circle of friends began to doubt one another and greed started to seep in. Needless to say this resulted in differences in opinions and loyalties changed. All of this lead up to the climatic scene when the four ladies attempt to rob what is soon to be their last bank. A big Police stand off and shoot out ensues and the only one left standing to tell the story of their rise and fall is Stony.

'Hold me tight and don't let go. We have the right to lose control'

Sound track from Set it off and a favourite