American Black

Shottas

By WALTER DAWKINS

An Access Pictures production. Produced by Cess Silvera, Jennifer Farrell, Fabian Pruvot. Executive producers, Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis.
Directed, written by Cess Silvera.
 
With: Ky-Mani Marley, Wyclef Jean, Paul Campbell, Spragga Benz, Louie Rankin.

 

Gangster tale "Shottas" feels like a Jamaican "Scarface," offering a vivid slice of the underground street culture of Kingston. Still, the violence is senseless and the plot full of holes, including the final scene, in which two drug lords somehow have no security outside their residence as they're attacked by their rivals. Exec produced by rapper Wyclef Jean, who also produced the soundtrack, pic might click with young urban fans fascinated by Jamaican rude boy culture.

Two ruthless West Indian drug dealers and childhood friends, Biggs (Ky-Mani Marley, son of Bob Marley) and Wayne (Spragga Benz) are deported from the U.S. back to Jamaica, where they continue their ruthless ways. Wayne discovers that a local politician on his payroll, fearing things are getting out of hand, has put out a hit out on him. Wayne and Biggs threaten to kill the pol and his family unless he grants them visas back to the U.S. The two settle in Miami, where they viciously take back Biggs' former drug business from the current kingpin (Louie Rankin). But the kingpin and his lieutenant (Jean) eventually strike back, leading to pic's bloody conclusion.

Camera (color), Cliff Charles; editor, Danny Saphire; music supervisor, Wyclef Jean. Reviewed at American Black Film Festival, Miami, June 27, 2002. Running time: 95 MIN.