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Menace II Society
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Menace II Society

1993
Drama
1h 37m
A Watts teenager becomes so immersed in his violent world, he can't get out. (New Line Cinema)
Directed by:
Albert Hughes Albert Hughes Allen Hughes Allen Hughes
+1 more
Written by:
Albert Hughes Albert Hughes Allen Hughes Allen Hughes
+1 more
Starring:
Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Pinkett Smith Samuel L. Jackson Samuel L. Jackson Larenz Tate Larenz Tate Glenn Plummer Glenn Plummer Charles S. Dutton Charles S. Dutton Bill Duke Bill Duke James Pickens Jr. James Pickens Jr. Tyrin Turner Tyrin Turner Clifton Collins Jr. Clifton Collins Jr. Khandi Alexander Khandi Alexander June Kyoto Lu Toshi Toda
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Genre:
Drama
Country:
USA
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Menace II Society

1993
Drama
1h 37m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 60.7% from 912 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(912)
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alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 15 Feb 2007
4
70th
If Boyz N the Hood is about the victims of urban violence, Menace II Society is about its products. Portrays with an unflinching eye the consequences of gang violence and unchecked masculine urges.
Rated 15 Feb 2007
paxtonPaxton
Rated 05 Aug 2021
57
33rd
This is iconic and culturally important in its own right but it just doesn't hold up in comparison to the other hood movie it always gets compared to: Leprechaun in the Hood.
Rated 05 Aug 2021
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 29 Jul 2015
75
65th
As a soft supple white male I brought nothing to this.
Rated 29 Jul 2015
overratedoverrated
Rated 18 Dec 2020
46
41st
More nihilistic than Boyz (these two always seem to be compared to each other due to being the best known early hood films), but somehow ends up at the same moralizing conclusion, just lacking the Fishburne father figure explicitly laying out the message. I prefer Boyz because it seems to allow for the possibility of things turning out differently, whereas MIIS appears to be entirely fatalistic.
Rated 18 Dec 2020
neonmanNeonman
Rated 13 Jun 2018
65
24th
Despite the title, the film hones in only on this small world of these menaces, not showing how wider society is affected by, and contributes to, their nihilistic destructive behaviour. The build-up to the fatalistic ending is excellent and filled with tension, but there's a lot of didactic bullcrap to get there, making this feel a bit like a 'scared straight' sermon at times.
Rated 13 Jun 2018
yiannosYiannos
Rated 20 Dec 2020
63
54th
The hood as nightmare. Seemed better in the 90's. Too much pointed and preachy dialogue along with forced moments of style (e.g.the interrogation scene). It is superior to Boyz, which is just an after school special set in the hood, but it's inferior to Dead Presidents and American Pimp, which were far more confident and formally controlled films by The Hughes Brothers, who went downhill quickly after the 90's.
Rated 20 Dec 2020
juntakinte99juntakinte99
Rated 21 Apr 2021
75
49th
Here, the then 21-year-old The Hughes Brothers built on classic '30's gangster flicks as well as Do the Right Thing & Boyz n The Hood to show how cinema could illustrate different social realities while still being entertaining. Obviously, the most timeless aspect is Larenz Tate's great villainous O-Dog; a performance all the more amazing given his future nice guy roles. The film hit Gen X so hard it was voted Best Movie at the MTV Movie Awards—beating Jurassic Park, even. Woefully underrated.
Rated 21 Apr 2021
nobambanobamba
Rated 02 Mar 2022
70
76th
I can only imagine the pearl-clutching when this was released. What a shocking beginning. I spent the rest of the film in an uneasy dread. I agree there are exploitative elements of the lifestyle depictions, though it was nice to see the contrast of the grandparents' home. Fav scene: while there were mostly good carjacking and assassination scenes, it's hard to get past that liquor store beginning for the feelings it evoked in me.
Rated 02 Mar 2022
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 21 Sep 2010
71
84th
This is actually a smigdgeon better than Boyz N The Hood even though it came out later and owes a lot to it, Tate steals the show.
Rated 21 Sep 2010
hsncrspywlhsncrspywl
Rated 07 Feb 2013
50
18th
As much as I felt this film would be right up my street its heavy-handed and just too grim for my taste. Endless bleak nihilism, with no sort of relief in any way. Well acted and shot very well but ultimately the film doesn't give much in the way of characterisation, and the film's message is delivered clumsily through infrequent narration and a barrage of cliches. Boyz N The Hood is about as subtle too but it has hope for the characters that this film sorely lacks.
Rated 07 Feb 2013
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 08 Apr 2012
83
93rd
It can be a little heavy handed, but it shows the violence of the 90s black ghetto better than anything else. O-Dog is about as scary a character as you'll find in any film.
Rated 08 Apr 2012
gtown1479gtown1479
Rated 28 Feb 2008
97
99th
One of the best gangster movies I have ever seen. The Hughes do a great job. Its amazing the dropping value of a hamburger. Man I want to jump into the movie and change the ending everytime I watch it, and as sad as it is the segue to the credits with one of My Top 20 Rap Songs up with MC Eiht retelling you the movie's story. Soundtrack is great, too.
Rated 28 Feb 2008
bentley82bentley82
Rated 14 Aug 2007
83
61st
Raw and very much engaging with its honest portrayal of growing up in an urban environment.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
cinemaasiaCinema_Asia
Rated 17 Jan 2010
75
71st
Only reason why this doesn't rank higher is that it feels pretty exploitative at times.
Rated 17 Jan 2010
decanusellisDecanusEllis
Rated 07 Mar 2021
86
90th
"My grandpa asked me one time if I care whether I live or die. Yeah, I do. Now it's too late."
Rated 07 Mar 2021
schnofelschnofel
Rated 14 Aug 2007
45
31st
This film is h.a.r.d. man, especially in being so sociopathic that there is not one sympathetic character in there - just murderers and thieves and bullies. The effect is more Scarface than Boyz. Religion is posed as the only exit from this hell. It made me relate to the tactics of the police, and I don't know if that's the right stance to take.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
optimusmikeOptimus_mike
Rated 30 Jun 2009
60
34th
Horribly cheesy at times, but decent overall. I'm with Bell Hooks on this one....
Rated 30 Jun 2009
buggz79buggz79
Rated 19 Feb 2007
74
37th
Not much of a gang banging fan
Rated 19 Feb 2007
pigletPiglet
Rated 10 Jun 2009
72
68th
Great look into what it's like growing up on the wrong side of LA.
Rated 10 Jun 2009
panzerwolfpanzerwolf
Rated 31 Dec 2022
78
78th
This is such a good, gritty story. The mood is in the music, in the scenery, just laced all over. A lot of tragedy that is entwined in how one grows up, what kind of chances they get, what kind of choices they make. I can see why it would have had such a huge impact in its time, and it still does. Not a lot of pretty and nice things here, grabbing you right at the first scene at the liquor store.
Rated 31 Dec 2022
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 21 Apr 2010
85
90th
A classic. Infinitely better than Boyz N The Hood.
Rated 21 Apr 2010
capodelnullacapodelnulla
Rated 03 Oct 2015
55
30th
belki meselesi üzerinden geçen 22 yıla rağmen anlaşılmadığı için bu derece aynı cümlelerle bastırması filmin mantıklı görülebilinir, ama biraz fazla *iyi tv ama aslında kötü anlatım* yaklaşımı var filmin. ya da benim böylesine yüklenilmiş dramatizasyona bir alerjim var, veya belli dünyaları gerçekten tanımamdan ötürü bana böyle hissettiriyor.
Rated 03 Oct 2015
sebbysebby
Rated 15 Aug 2007
75
83rd
Awesome soundtrack and a beautifully rendered snapshot of a time and place in American history.
Rated 15 Aug 2007
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 25 May 2013
80
37th
This just made me really want to watch Kenan and Kel.
Rated 25 May 2013
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 01 Oct 2018
33
27th
"I know a life of crime has led me to this sorry fate, and yet, I blame society. Society made me what I am." I suspect this film has lost much of its power owing to the passage of time, and more nuanced characterisations of a similar milieu in a show like The Wire.
Rated 01 Oct 2018
obdurateObdurate
Rated 19 Apr 2009
85
80th
It's hard not to think about class when watching this, even though the movie briefly touches on racism. Class is the real issue. This is a great slice of life for gangsters, showing what happens after you've been raised in this kind of environment. Good acting, accurate script.
Rated 19 Apr 2009
seethruskinSeethruskin
Rated 30 Aug 2021
4
52nd
A bleak film, but still fun watch. Everything feels so alive and vibrant. Larenz Tate with what should’ve been a star making performance.
Rated 30 Aug 2021
teddedonTedDedon
Rated 12 Apr 2007
88
81st
Menace II Society packs a punch in that it accurately delivers the street life in to film for one of the first time. Often compared to Boyz n the Hood, I'd say Menace is even better. The acting is excellent for this movie and O-Dog is a G.
Rated 12 Apr 2007
jmboschJMBosch
Rated 06 Sep 2009
65
35th
Kinda disappointing after everything I've heard about it. The direction can get fairly amateurish with some cool flourishes during a few scenes. The frequent narration breaks the flow (and bridges some sloppy writing). The acting's decent, but I guess it's dialog, authenticity, and overall moral come together pretty nicely.
Rated 06 Sep 2009
mddglumddglu
Rated 15 Feb 2015
78
82nd
15.2.15(+)
Rated 15 Feb 2015
nilooravaeinilooravaei
Rated 24 Dec 2013
72
18th
the film felt very episodic and was spewing out stereotypes. it was somewhat interesting as a study of the life-style in the ghetto, but even that felt dated. character reactions weren't realistic. the whole film felt very random and the climax arbitrary. maybe this film had a message, but i certainly didn't get it.
Rated 24 Dec 2013
aarona1caarona1c
Rated 04 Dec 2007
63
55th
Yet another movie in the vein of Boyz N Tha Hood, but entertaining nonetheless.
Rated 04 Dec 2007
darrenDarren
Rated 13 Sep 2021
69
50th
So violent. It’s obviously VERY dramatic. Feels very play like but the bleak violence just rocks your world.
Rated 13 Sep 2021
stainStain
Rated 24 May 2007
80
68th
Good South Central gangviolence drama, this time about "the bad guys" as opposed to "the good guys" we saw in _Boyz N The Hood_. Well-made and fatalistic, always a winning combination in my book :-)
Rated 24 May 2007
kdsmoothkdsmooth
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
93rd
accurte and reajistic portrail og innercity live.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
servantdagonServantDagon
Rated 14 Aug 2007
84
64th
Solid urban drama.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
war_machineWar Machine
Rated 01 Sep 2018
88
90th
youoweme$?-hellnahbuthereyougolool+rob/kill/tape+dog+jail-printsmatched+jacksguy+jadasayleavew/me-yeah-stillwontkisscuzjailhomiegirl-shebanghimlol+pistolbeatGonherlol+randomgirlhebangedpreglool-itaintmine-peace+Gsendrobberytapetocops+ 90+homieallow/dobetter+stomppregbitchcousin-grandskickout+hercousindriveby-heblockjadakid
Rated 01 Sep 2018
dolphinspursDolphinSpurs
Rated 07 May 2018
95
88th
A visceral gut-punch look into the LA 80s-90s and a teen caught up in the "skreet" life. Great performances by the cast in their various archetypes.
Rated 07 May 2018
naurunauru
Rated 20 Apr 2014
50
46th
Decent production, but the plot meanders aimlessly and with the exception of O-Dog, there are no memorable or even distinctive characters. Overall a pretty standard hood tragedy.
Rated 20 Apr 2014
rudakerRudaker
Rated 15 Jun 2020
80
90th
Great
Rated 15 Jun 2020
glm01glm01
Rated 10 Aug 2013
81
68th
81.000
Rated 10 Aug 2013
akatemossfanAKateMossFan
Rated 07 Feb 2022
35
63rd
eric_janeric-jan
Rated 26 Jan 2009
65
30th
Seen better hood movies.
Rated 26 Jan 2009
fuzzleshnopsfuzzleshnops
Rated 19 Feb 2017
75
51st
Not as good as Boyz N the Hood. The central story lacked power.
Rated 19 Feb 2017
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 08 Feb 2017
4
74th
It would be impossible to make an apolitical or amoral film about this milieu, but when compared to its closest companion, Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society is a decidedly less high-minded and moralist piece than Singleton's film. Grittier, bleaker, seemingly more authentic.
Rated 08 Feb 2017
chemical404chemical404
Rated 15 Oct 2009
65
71st
A movie from the time when afro-americans didn't have to dress up as a fat lady to be in a film. It's pretty good ghetto drama. Gritty (in the 90's way), tough and sometimes cheesy. A movie that could easily be shown as an intro to discussion whether kids from the ghetto have no other choice but to become criminals, or if it's all in character.
Rated 15 Oct 2009
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 12 Feb 2007
60
62nd
Good film.
Rated 12 Feb 2007
myfavchordsmyfavchords
Rated 18 Sep 2021
75
49th
The script seems some what predictable now but it was more original during the time of this film;s release. The performances are good in this film. Overall I would recommend this movie.
Rated 18 Sep 2021
eldarzachEldarZach
Rated 28 Sep 2014
77
39th
Tried too hard, the cheesyness was a little overwhelming sometimes. At times it reached almost spoof-like levels of absurdity, perhaps because of some poor characters Boyz N the Hood was much better
Rated 28 Sep 2014
glmglm
Rated 30 Apr 2012
84
77th
83.750
Rated 30 Apr 2012
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 23 Oct 2009
68
72nd
Good Movie
Rated 23 Oct 2009
forehead1forehead1
Rated 26 Dec 2009
90
99th
Like a feature-length video for an NWA album, Menace II Society perfectly captures the mood of the place and people of the era. I've never been to south central LA, but everything here certainly feels very real, from the day-to-day issues on the streets, to how easily decent teens can be corrupted by the environment they live in. MIIS should also be commended for managing to contain a complete cohesive story, despite essentially being a collection of 'hood flashpoints. Still a great film.
Rated 26 Dec 2009
montycircusMontyCircus
Rated 28 Aug 2022
60
69th
A simple, violent tale.
Rated 28 Aug 2022
iconogassediconogassed
Rated 01 Jan 2024
70
53rd
Somewhat hamstrung by the GOODFELLAS influence. Tate makes a strong impression as the Pesci (Jackson's scene is a direct nod) but the yea I'm gonna say it corny voiceover impedes the momentum and immediacy of the filmmaking. Pinkett's worth slappin a fool for but her character's no Karen Hill (worth pistol-whippin a boor for, you will recall). Point of the tape is well taken, but details of its perpetual consumption stretch credulity. Most of the "mood" touches work, some memorable use of colour
Rated 01 Jan 2024
wezzoWezzo
Rated 10 Mar 2014
88
74th
Of the subgenre, Boyz and Kids outpace it, but this is still a brilliantly brutal movie, a story liable to utterly destroy you and render you inconsolable with despair. Tyrin Turner is marvellous.
Rated 10 Mar 2014
waterfirewaterfire
Rated 30 Mar 2017
68
44th
I like this movie, I watch it from time to time. I don't know if it's intentional but the bad acting really adds to the authenticity. It's such a good story, shedding light on some real problems.
Rated 30 Mar 2017
dustydDustyd
Rated 17 Sep 2007
70
63rd
solid movie
Rated 17 Sep 2007

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