Get a First Look at the New Trailer for Spike Lee’s ‘CHI-RAQ’
On Tuesday, Amazon Studios released the first trailer for Spike Lee’s forthcoming and long discussed film, Chi-Raq. From the visuals, this movie is likely to draw a lot of attention.
According to IMDB, the film is “a modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes, set against the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago.” In the comedic play, the women choose not to sleep with their mates until warring stops. Lee does the same thing in Chi-Raq but set against the streets of the Windy City.
With stars like Samuel L. Jackson, Teyonah Parris (Dear White People), Angela Bassett, Nick Cannon, and Jennifer Hudson leading the cast, it’s clear that Mr. Lee intends for this film to make waves. But, is that necessarily a good thing?
While some have seen this film in a purely artistic light, others suggest that the content is wholly inappropriate for film adaptation.
It doesn't matter what artistic or conceptual approach spike is trying to take. Chicago violence isn't an art project.
— BLACK POWER ranger (@MalcolmLondon) November 3, 2015
Overall, the trailer raises questions around gender, race, violence, faith and social organizations across the country. But, whether or not the film handles these themes well remains to be seen. The film will be out in limited release on December 4th, followed by a release on Amazon Instant Video.
Watch the trailer below and share your thoughts in the comment section.