Brother on the Run (1973) User Reviews

A Mediocre "Blaxploitation" Film

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 28 March 2022]

This film essentially begins with two young men named "Billy Cooper" (Kyle Johnson) and "Frank Stack" (Gary Rist) going into a store in order to shoplift some items for a stolen merchandise racket. Unfortunately, their attempted theft fails after a scuffle with the owner who ends up being shot by his own gun in the process. Minutes later, Frank is also shot by a policeman but manages to survive thanks to the skillful driving of Billy who eludes the police long enough to get him to his sister's apartment. Once there, his sister "Maud Cooper" (Gwenn Mitchell) and a college professor by the name of "Grant Turner" (Terry Carter) hold off the police long enough for Billy to escape--while at the same time allowing Frank to be taken to the hospital. From that point on, realizing that Billy is innocent in the shooting death of the store owner, Professor Turner makes it his mission to set the record straight. The problem is that Billy--not only has to elude the police--but has to also stay clear of the higher-ups in the stolen merchandise racket who want him killed before their identifies are revealed. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather mediocre "Blaxploitation film" which suffered somewhat due to its low-budget production values and poor editing. As far as the acting was concerned, Terry Carter performed well enough, I suppose, but he didn't seem to possess the charisma necessary for the main character in a film of this type. Likewise, Gwenn Mitchell didn't quite seem to have the sex appeal required for her role either. Regardless, while this certainly wasn't a great movie by any means, it managed to pass the time fairly well and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

black force two???

[sowhat · 1/10 · 2 December 2001]

I'm surprised this movie has less than five votes, considering the gobs and gobs of cheese in this flick.

Brother on the Run aka Black Force 2 is a generic 70's blaxploitation flick about a professor who just oozes coolness. How cool is he? While constantly on the run from law enforcement, he manages to give some fine ladies a taste of his coolness. Then he's on the run again with no time to waste.

I agree with the previous poster that this film really needed a better editor. The same 5-10 minute sequence is repeated twice in a row! And believe me, it's VERY noticeable.

Some strange things about this film. When it was released to video after fifteen or so years, the distributors apparently changed the title of the film to Black Force 2. Never mind the fact that a movie called Black Force was released several years AFTER Brother on the Run. Also, the cover box of the video shows a guy sitting on his motorcycle looking very full of himself. However, as far as I know, this person does not appear in the movie at all! Makes you wonder...

Tacky Blaxploitation film not even good enough for amateur night

[jwpeel-1 · 3/10 · 22 June 2005]

I'm being generous giving this turkey three stars, and that's only because it had a hot blonde go topless for a scene. (One for each breast, and one for the memory.) I saw this one on a double bill in a 42nd Street theater(The other film must have been even worse because I can't even remember the title) and my only memory of it (besides seeing an old Boston TV news anchor play a role in this) is when the "brother" in the title spurns the lovely blonde's advances, some brother in the audience said something colorful that amounted to (and here's the cleaned up version) "Damn, you're crazy turning that down. I'll make you happy, baby." I agreed. Stupid plot. Terrible acting and I've seen better cutting in the local barbershop.

He's mean, he's hungry and he's back!

[Blitz-5 · 10/10 · 22 January 1999]

A black exploitation flick of the early 70's about a college/high school teacher who tries to intervene and rescue his student who is being pursued by the law. The professor happens to have sexual intercourse with at least 2 different women on his way to save his student. I've gotta love the title music track fr this movie, very 70's... "Brother on the run...etcetcetc. If you see t in the $3.00 video bin at your local video outlet pick it up for your own little amusement. It's not a must see, it's more like a "gotta see it to believe it" (in ways). Hehe.. the editor for this film should have been canned, (a hint) lay off the qualudes.