Waist Deep (2006)

This is another ''Bonnie & Clyde'' ride which features an ensemble cast that includes Tyrese Gibson, Meagan Good and The Game in the lead roles, while Larenz Tate and Henry Hunter Hall play other pivotal roles.The film has a simple and interesting story with a strong screenplay, but it did not deliver anything new. It is a typical action-thriller that people have seen before (which might be a strong reason for why the film is weak).Tyrese Gibson who earlier had acted in Baby Boy, 2 Fast 2 Furious and Four Brothers has showed another side of his acting skills. His body language, style and his mastermind make his role as O2 to be a wonderful father and an unstoppable action hero who can get near on anybody.Meagan Good who is sexy and beautiful as usual has done a great job and improved her acting skills from her previous films Roll Bounce and Stomp The Yard. Both Gibson and Good had a great chemistry throughout the movie.The Game who made his acting debut with this film was faithful to his role as ''Big Meat'', who is the main antagonist in the film. Larenz Tate who played ''Lucky'' and Henry Hunter Hall who played Gibson's son ''Junior'' were at their best.Otherwise this is a film which has much swag, raw Hip-Hop music, good comedy scenes and a lot of action-packed and sentimental scenes. It tells the story of a father who does everything he can to keep a promise he made for his son. It has everything that makes the audience to be filled with great entertainment. It does not disappoint at all.Verdict: A Promise Kept!

"Waist Deep" has the look and feel of an urban crime drama, but it delivers with mild results. The kidnapping, the gang (and gang leader) just aren't on par with most movies of its ilk. One scene that I didn't think worked at all, is when our heroes try to obtain money (from the bank) that "Meat", the gang leader, is demanding. Coco and the bank manager (at least I think he was), are arguing over a check (I don't remember why). This goes on forever and doesn't amount to anything. Because the movie is so mediocre, I really didn't care what happened to whom. There is, however, a moment I did enjoy, which was a car chase, where our hero, O2, is desperately trying to evade the police. If only the rest of the movie were this exciting.** out of ****

There are two basic sub-genres within the "urban" (read black guys) category: 1/ The totally play-to-cliché everyone rocks a glock & has dumb hair & shoots before they talk & hates the cops & keeps it real at all times & is part of a gang selling drugs & 110% gangsta 112% of the time.2/ A more realistic portrayal, which if the depictions are right is all of the above only slightly less so.Waist Deep straddles the line of the two and ends up being a bit of both, but as a result not much of anything.Streets is hot in LA cuz. There are continual street demonstrations demanding that the violence be stopped, (though for some reason this never really comes into the storyline – so why have it?) and the mood is tetchy.Otis is called away from his job to pick up son Otis Jr who is about 9 years old. On the way home his car is jacked with Otis Jr in it. (Might I add that Otis Sr has the nickname O2, wouldn't it make more sense for his son to have that moniker?) Moving on… O2 realises that the hot (seriously) chick who distracted him and thereby assisted in the jacking was in on the ground floor. He grabs her (never abet a car-jacking and expect to run away in high heels luv) and after the girl Coco realises he really loves his son the two set off top spend the rest of the movie finding him.Within 12 minutes or so O2 finds out through his sketchy cousin Lucky that a gang called the Outlaws (ooooh scary) lead by crime-boss Big Meat (it pays to advertise I guess?) has O2-2 and wants O2 to pay a ransom to get him back.To raise the funds O2 and Coco – sounds like a bad Euro DJ team – must wreak a 2 person crime wave all over the city during which Coco gets to wear a cavalcade of fashionable outfits that were fortunately provided in an otherwise pointless scene where they go to an underground fashion dealer and stick 'em up.I'm not complaining much, Coco is hot.The film continues the paint by numbers approach, there is a love scene, proof that Big Meat is tough, nasty and ruthless and also that O2 is basically a hard working father pushed into a situation against his will, yet eminently capable in this environment… and Coco is still hot and wears lots of outfits (not sure if I mentioned that before).The title Waist Deep probably means something, I have no idea what. The film is far less macho and has fewer chest-puffed out scenes than the poster might suggest, it also isn't anywhere near as over the top as I predicted. It's merely another film where a Dad must save his child from the naughty guys while the clock is running… and neither a good nor an especially bad one.Final Rating – 5 / 10. Referring back to the first statement in this review: there are 2 sub-genres available. Waist Deep chooses neither, which is the main reason that it is quite forgettable and not very entertaining.

Man this movie was so stupid and predictable it was hilarious!! At the end when Tyrese came out of the clouds man I died laughing! If you want to watch something stupid over a couple of drinks or whatever this is it!! Also is Meagan Good a porn star? She sure acted like it!! OK what gangster do you know who is out here cutting off arms? Was Larenz Tate Trying to relive his Menace to Society days or what? It was just horrible... So many slow motion gun shoot outs? Please!! I knew what was going to happen the whole movie. Guy meets hood girl, he hits it then they live happily ever after?? I think Master P's movies deserve an Oscar compared to this!!! Poor Meagan good, from Eve's Bayou she could not find a more mature classy role for herself?