jlopez6911 Review of Camjackers

Camjackers (2006)

White filmmakers in L.A. run at first sight of "thugs" who use abandoned film making gear to create own film.

[8/10 · 22 July 2007]

They took the road least taken in the portrayal of a film set Los Angeles. The people that live here: the poets, writers, break dancers and the hip hop culture are reflected in their own light in this film by Julian Dahl. This facet of L.A. is rarely portrayed as authentically as in this film, and way overdue because finally it was successfully captured. This comedic docudrama will be enlightening for those too pretentious and incorrigible to stray too far from the nearest Starbucks, although hopefully I am totally proved wrong when people go stammering to watch 2MEX, Aceyalone, and other underground hip hop artists show their stuff. LA from the inside has never been more hopeful. Urban landscapes backdrop the dialog for empowerment the way Paolo Freire describes education and decoding environments through communication. Documenting the perils of L.A.'s diverse hip hop culture with a well crafted extraordinary plot line woven into the mostly docudrama exhibits life in gritty L.A. neighborhoods rarely seen up close. The main characters, whose motivation is to get back at the stereotypical interpretation perpetuated repeatedly by the 'drive-by' media have a mission to make a real movie with 'borrowed' film making and editing gear from scared preppy wannabe film makers who are too afraid to face the 'thugs' who inadvertently walk into one of their scenes while trying to film a scene. The film takes a jab at Hollywood and their ubiquitously jaded interpretation of Los Angeles and the industries usual lack of ethics and respect for the richness of our culture. The perception of hip hop that the filmmaker is fighting against is reminiscent of the rock n roll which I during its beginnings was painted in the similarly negative shades of gray. It too had its adversities as does the hip hop scene Dahl is investing in, through this cleverly written script. Few socially conscious films feature the grassroots artists of free verse spitting the real sticky icky, the ingenious and progressive heart beat, lyrics and artistry of one of the biggest metropolis in the entire world. Only the authentic survive and Dahl has shown he's got heart and proved his worthiness in my book.