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State Property cast: Beanie Sigel, Jay Z, Damon Dash, Memphis Bleek, and Ormillio Sparks director: Abdul Malik Abbott 90 minutes (18) 2002 widescreen ratio 16:9 MIA DVD Region 2 retail Also available to buy on video RATING: 2/10 reviewed by John M. Peters |
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The story, supposedly a true one, follows local black gangster Beans (Beanie Sigel) and his crew as they take over the neighbourhood and then larger areas of the city in their search for money and power (over the black community). The film attempts to show these characters as an extended family, with Beans as the paterfamilias ruling the family with the gun. Any dissent usually ends in a bullet in the gut, and wives and girlfriends are treated as whores or virtual slaves.
What is truly upsetting is that this movie seems to have been written and produced by blacks, and if their intention was to use the movie as a warning to the kids on the streets then it fails as it simply glorifies black gangsterism and the creed 'live fast, die young'. When there is so much stereotypical media attention on crime by blacks surely this production house could have come up with something more positive.
DVD extras include: director's commentary, theatrical trailer, cast and dancer auditions, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, four music videos, scene selection, interactive menus and previews of other MIA releases.