Gangsta

Fun and dynamic gangster comedy. It's a bit of a departure from El Arbi and Fallah's earlier films, which took a more serious approach to the crime/gangster genre. For Gangsta, they threw out the grit and drama and replaced it with goofy characters, funny dialogues and some over-the-top action.

In that sense Gangsta would prove to be a perfect stepping stone for Bad Boys 3. It's one of those films that is slick and accessible enough to have plenty of international appeal, but is also still distinctive and different enough to highlight the skills of its directors. And this duo really went for it.

While the film is very eager to reference American influences, it reminded me more of the British gangster cinema of Ritchie. Gangsta is a film with lots of visual flair, characters that try their hardest to be as cool as possible but don't quite get there and a banging, well integrated soundtrack. Just a tad too long maybe, but otherwise a very slick and entertaining film.