3 Strikes

Rating

Director

DJ Pooh

Screenplay

DJ Pooh

Length

1h 22m

Starring

Brian Hooks, N’Bushe Wright, Faizon Love, E40, Starletta DuPois, George Wallace, David Alan Grier, Dean Norris, Barima McKnight, Meagan Good, Mo’Nique, De’Aundre Bonds, Antonio Fargas, Harmonica Fats, Mike Epps

MPAA Rating

R

Review

PREFACE:
In the early 2000s, I was writing reviews for an outfit called Apollo Guide Reviews. That website has since been closed down.

Attempting to reconstruct those reviews has been an exercise in frustration. Having sent them to Apollo Guide via email on a server I no longer have access to (and which probably doesn’t have records going back that far), my only option was to dig through The Wayback Machine to see if I could find them there. Unfortunately, while I found a number of reviews, a handful of them have disappeared into the ether. At this point, almost two decades later, it is rather unlikely that I will find them again.

Luckily, I was able to locate my original review of this particular film. Please note that I was not doing my own editing at the time, Apollo Guide was. As such, there may be more than your standard number of grammatical and spelling errors in this review. In an attempt to preserve what my style had been like back then, I am not re-editing these reviews, which are presented as-is.

REVIEW:
A twice-convicted drug addict is returned to the street and ends up running from crime at every step in an effort to avoid a third strike and the resulting consequences.

3 Strikes stars comedian Brian Hooks as small-time drug addict and two-strike parolee Rob Douglas who’s going straight. When a friend agrees to pick him up from prison, but sends a car thief in his place, Rob becomes a fugitive from the law in his efforts to avoid going back to prison.

Rob’s new “friend” begins a shoot-out with the police who try to pull him over. Rob flees into the city streets to avoid being associated with the criminal activity. He manages to lose the police by disguising himself as a Mexican participating in a fiesta. Things get worse when Rob returns home and Pops (George Wallace) believes that he’s back into the same mess he was in before and Moms (Starletta DuBois) can’t convince him otherwise.

Numerous characters find their way into the film although only a handful add anything to the plot. Even those that have some impact are one-dimensional in every respect. Tone (Faizon Love) is one of the best examples. His character sponsors many of Rob’s problems, but you never find his character interesting. On numerous occasions, we see him in scenes where he does little more than strut and socialize.

Many of the situations featured in 3 Strikes make it feel like a film version of the Def Comedy Jam television series with fewer jokes. What makes matters worse is that the comedy is so dry and lifeless that you find yourself waiting for some grand conclusion. When fart jokes are the funniest thing about your movie, you’ve got bigger problems on your hand than the plot.

This isn’t the worst film ever made, but it’s certainly no gem. There are times when you feel right at home with Rob’s character and others when you wish the police would just shoot him and get it over with. Stylistically, there’s little of interest. Everything is reasonably professional and only the editor must redeem himself after leaving in nearly 20 minutes of useless footage.

On the film’s commentary about the dangers of trusting the police and judicial systems, 3 Strikes has a lot to say. What many felt during the O.J. Simpson trial regarding police officers and their mistrust of African Americans is well defined. However, most of the stereotypes offered here are quite unnecessary, despite the inclusion of bumbling black police detective Jenkins (David Alan Grier).

The only character we care about is Rob, which could be enough if the rest of the film weren’t ruefully altruistic and preachy. It’s the kind of film that appeals solely to one audience, while completely alienating other audiences. It’s hard to find anything humorous in situations you can barely relate to or sympathize with.

3 Strikes put its team to bat and struck out without a hit.

Review Written

Unknown