Customer Reviews
NEW JACK CITY 
2007-05-12
The DVD's were shipped promptly, was packaged very well, watched the movie the same night I received it. No complaints here.
seen it all before... 
2007-04-30
Very little that's original here. I just don't see it as being some kind of classic.
There is a scene at the beginning where the main lead and his cohorts decide to put all the crack activity in one building: the making, the selling, etc. and one of the honcho's people says: "That's ingenius."
Huh? What's ingenius about it? If the cops assaulted the place you'd lose everything, the whole shebang, all at once. Why make it easier for the authorities? I doubt that drug lords are that dumb in real life. Certainly, some are--the proof is there, but someone as the character portrayed by Wesley Snipes? I doubt it.. I mean the film lost me right there, not to mention the fact that we have seen so many of the scenes in other films that came before it.
The flick just didn't grab me. Also, Judd Nelson, usually very good, seemed lost in the shuffle here--due to lack of focus by the director.
Not to mention: it's truly annoying when filmmakers go around praising their film and telling you how GREAT they think it is.
You know what? That's for the audiance to decide. A little modesty goes a long way. This director doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word.
If you've seen the 1932 Scarface, the 1983 Scarface, and remember the 90's well then you have a good grip on the film 
2007-02-08
I've only seen this movie quite recently after hearing about it for years and being told that it's a must see. While actually viewing the movie my opinions were mixed but afterwards everything slid into focus. On the technical side of the movie the directing and editing were nothing new or original, Mario Van Peebles played everything straight out of a textbook and the pacing didn't create any great flow. Most of the acting was far from award winning but not so bad as to distract from the movie itself, for any real length of time at least. Everything about the quality and look of the film screams early 90's, but in an endearing manner. As far as the films influences go, the 1983 version of "Scarface" is the most acknowledged and the one film that this movie will probably be compared to for the rest of its rememberance. However I began to notice something very quickly at the heart of the movie and with the blurb about drugs and drug dealers in America at the end, it became clear that the 1932 "Scarface: Shame of the Nation" had just as large of a part in the shaping of this movie, it serves basically as a PSA to America. This also may account for why everything technically seemed very plain and stereotypical (mind you with very high production value). Take these two movies, throw in a dash of "Cops", a very pop show at the time, add in a lot of the earliest mainstream MC's and you have New Jack City. A movie that still holds appeal after more than 15 years and an eclectic piece of 90's cinema that makes a decent viewing.
Mario Van Peebles found a great criminal in Wesley Snipes! 
2007-01-25
"Drugs ain't a black thing, or a white thing. It's a death thing. Death don't give a s*** about color."-Nick Perrti
I first saw this in 1993 and was totally blown away by the directing, cinematography, script and acting and so I was really looking forward to seeing it again after an absence of almost thirteen years. But after seeing this a second time, I could scarcely believe I was watching a film I had remembered very well. In 1994 I would have given this film 5 out of 5 but instead I've given it a 4 due to its frail ending.
New Jack City (1991) is an interesting movie that aims to please. This film marks the first time Mario Van Peebles directed a theatrical released film (that his father helped co-write) and he co-stars in the film as well. The movie follows a small time hood Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) who builds up a vast criminal empire by flooding the streets with crack cocaine. Ice-T and Judd Nelson co-stars as well as two unorthodox cops who want to lock up Nino Brown. Allen Payne (Gee Money) and Mario van Peebles himself (Stone) has also giving some approved performances in here.
The acting is not the strongest part of this film but to me, three men made this film worthy of attention which is Wesley, Ice-T, and Rock. Chris Rock is unforgettable in this movie and he shines in his role as the "crack-head" Pookie. He has so many one-liners that are hysterical funny. The real winner is truly Wesley Snipes, who plays a role we don't usually identify with him, and does so with considerable spirit. He is utterly believable; the scene where he describes first killing someone while high on drugs scared the crap out of me - this is not someone I want as a friend! - Which happens to be a central theme of this film.
There are flaws in it to be sure, primarily of continuity - there are moments for which we are unprepared, and loose ends that don't get tied. The "Cash Money" drug cartel never gets its act together as a criminal organization - which may be the point, but in which case this needs greater exploration on the street level - without soldiers, you have no army, a lesson the Mafia could still teach the younger gangs. But taken all-in-all, "New Jack City" is a tough crime thriller, well-presented, with a great cast at their strongest. Despite it flaws, it holds a lot of strong and impressive moments which makes this worth a watch.
Black Scarface 2006-11-16
One movie that I will probably remember from the 1990s the best is "New Jack City." It tells the story of how Nino Brown (played by Wesely Snipes) and his crew, CMB (Cash Money Brothers) rose to power as crack kingpins by running their operation out of a apartment complex that they take over. I was 2 when I first saw this movie, so I thought that New Jack City was a real place. When I got older I realized that it was New York City when I saw the Statue of Liberty in the opening sequence. People can argue that is movie is another Scarface for many reasons:
1. The dude starts to sell drugs after his homeboy puts him up on game
2. He blows up and becomes sucessful
3. Everything starts to go downhill
4. He kills his best friend
5. He himself gets killed
Those are some of the ways that New Jack City compares but this is how they contrast:
1. Nino is black while Tony is Cuban
2. It shows the devestation that crack did to people who used it and the communities while Scarface just shows the glitz and glamor of Miami
3. It shows the cops struggle to get crack off the streets. While Scarface barely shows Tony making any coke deals at all.
4. It deals with betrayal.
The music also makes the movie good too. It contains songs from co-stars Ice T and Chris Williams. A hip-hop classic in every since of the word
Right on Time Purchase 2008-05-02
I'm so happy with my purchase of "New Jack City". The shipping was very
fast, and the price was vey reasonable.
GReat Jack 2008-04-28
This is a great movie. A real gritty crime drama with an excellent cast and a reminder of what style was like in the late 80s.
new jack city 2008-01-29
WOW,this movie was the first part of American Ganster.All the actors played their parts very well.
DVD Purchase 2008-01-18
Excellent! I received the shipment before I even expected it. The DVD was in perfect condition when it arrived, and I would not hesitate to use again.
A true cinema classic 2007-06-22
When I first saw this movie, I can honestly say that it delivered on all aspects of the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s. Mario Van Peebles did a wonderful job, and Wesley Snipes was outstanding. Ice T, phenomenal. Two other great actors in this film would have to be Christopher Williams, and Vanessa Williams. I personally recommend this film to all.
