Four Brothers

John Singleton's work leaves me pretty indifferent, and Four Brothers is hardly going to change that. I was only looking forward to Wahlberg, whom I've known since Boogie Nights, and he didn't disappoint with his furrowed brow, perpetually pissed off expression and macho walk. Otherwise, this story has nothing worth remembering. Some clichés here and there, a lot of fucking and testosterone, one pretty decent gunfight, but a pretty stale straightforward and far-fetched revenge story in which you can walk around Detroit with a gun in your hand, or even shoot yourself, and the police will stay calm. A movie like this should at least have a decent villain, but I didn't believe the overacting Chiwetel Ejiofor (the likable guy from Dirty Pretty Things) as the bad guy. Bottom line: passable for a boring evening of TV, but a visit to the cinema would be an unnecessary luxury. Two and a half stars. (26/02/2006)

In terms of dramatic maturity, Four Brothers is somewhere between the great Boyz n the Hood and the moronic 2 Fast 2 Furious. It’s too literal and seems to be intended for a young, more naïve audience. Chiwetel Ejiofor is questionable in the role of a mafia boss, as his scenes bring a smile to your face instead of evoking the desired respect. This is a movie for fans of Eminem’s 8 Mile. (14/10/2005)

Detroit… where 'mother' is half a word. The bathroom scene, where one brother is taking a dump, another is showering, and the third is requesting a venereal consultation, perfectly captures the overall character, meaning the connection of absurdity and entertainment. Wahlberg's provocative lines, the noble cop Terrence Howard, and the impulsive family investigation bringing sharp action manage to suppress John Singleton's occasional uncertainty. As for the bleak environment of snowy Motown, tossing a few dead birds on the ground, this could be what Victory looks like in Mean Business on North Ganson Street. (07/08/2020)

An exciting film full of fights that pleases particularly through the central quartet of characters, who are no strangers to shooting or lighting a cigarette next to an open gasoline can, and simple but impactful action. The unoriginal script doesn't matter and it gains much more audience sympathy thanks to the uncompromising nature of the characters and the characters’ catchphrases. Mark Wahlberg is an actor who had to play a smug tough guy maybe 3 times in his life, and even if he only removes his pissed-off expression a few times and I still have no problem believing in him. This film is the perfect form of relaxation for a dull evening, and the only thing holding it back from perfection is Singleton's feel for the characters. This is especially true in the opening "investigation," which produces a lot of unnecessary characters who, although they mostly end up with a bullet in their heads, still deserve to be sorted out on paper. Other than that, it was good. (17/01/2008)

A solid piece of film making, great action scenes and four tough, wisecracking guys. The story has a couple of surprises in store, but is not particularly original (apart from the fact that it fits with what I would do if they killed my mom). A somewhat unusual detective story where the investigation is led in a quite an untraditional way :). The quartet of actors is cool and Singleton does a superb job. All in all I give it nice FOUR stars. (27/04/2007)