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Undercover Brother

Mary Dang
Published: Friday, May 31, 2002

“Undercover Brother” Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee Starring Eddie Griffin, Denise Richards, and Chris Kattan

Hold on to your afros because “Undercover Brother” is an absolute trip. A bad trip to a town of funk, that is. As a parody to all of the 1970s blaxploitation movies like “Shaft,” “Sweet Sweetback’s Badaaasss Song,” and “Black Caesar,” “Undercover Brother” recycles all the motifs and stereotypes from that genre to make one really bad movie. The plot capitalizes on the usual blaxploitation theme of “The Man” trying to oppress all the black brothers and sisters. In this movie, “The Man,” with the aid of his second-in-command Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan), implement Operation Whitewash to brainwash and “Caucasianize” all the black public figures around the world. The Brotherhood, an underground organization, cracks down on the conspiracy and needs Undercover Brother (Eddie Griffin) to help stop the evil-doing. With some hits as well as misses, the film did have some biting, politically incorrect humor, especially with Conspiracy Brother (David Chapelle) and his lack of restraint, saying all the things that are on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, all of its satire cannot save the entire picture and its really lame moments. At certain points, for some reason, the movie just falls short of creativity. For example, in a getaway action sequence, Undercover Brother and Sista Girl (Aunjanue Ellis) engage in a golf cart chase with some bad guys that is so predictable that the audience can dictate exactly what will happen. The let-downs at those moments of unrealized potential make the whole movie a pity to watch. Out to offend as well as endear, the movie is so ridiculous that laughing is the only option because “Undercover Brother” is only a bad movie hiding behind a psychedelic 1970s “Shaft” shield of nostalgia. -

Mary Dang