Dead Presidents
The film chronicles the life of Anthony Curtis, focusing on his teenage years as a high school graduate and his experiences during the Vietnam War. As he returns home, he has to adjust to life after the war while trying to support his family, but the chance of a better life may involve crime and bloodshed.
24 November 1955, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
25 January 1957, Kinloch, Missouri, USA
29 July 1942, Brooklyn, New York, USA
26 March 1966, Mount Vernon, New York, USA
31 August 1971, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
29 July 1946, Brooklyn, New York, USA
27 December 1980, New York, USA
January 31, 2009
The intense and excessive climactic set piece caper scene is the only true highlight in a superficial film.
June 20, 2006
Significant as both history and film art, this gloomy tale has no "convenient" villains and refuses to indulge in stereotypes, instead focusing on larger forces, such as racism and political apathy.
May 20, 2003
Like those overreaching sophomore term papers we can all laugh at now, this disappointing film may free the Hughes brothers to move on to fresher, more inspired work.
September 23, 2003
Talent of Hughes brothers deserves viewer's attention even when their results don't meet such high standards.
May 12, 2001
What emerges is an uneasy blend of didacticism and juiced-up bloodletting (the brothers don't know when to stop with the exploding squibs) that bury the film's message and its good intentions.
January 26, 2006
There are intriguing aspects to this yarn, and the brothers can choreograph a scene, but you get the impression that they learned all they know from other movies, the blood and guts is gratuitous...
February 13, 2001
Made with fluid skill and a passion for storytelling, its tale of how the Vietnam War and American society affect a black Marine remains accessible while confounding expectations.
June 18, 2002
It's an overly ambitious effort that strains to work as a coming-of-age drama, a 1960s period piece and a searing comment on the way African American GIs went largely unappreciated for their war efforts.
July 10, 2007
Platoon lite with a bitter ending that doesn't work in its favor...
June 05, 2002
Unfortunately, the filmmakers were overzealous in trying to cover a variety of issues, leaving the story choppy and without resolution in places.
March 26, 2009
Dead Presidents may eventually box itself into a narrative dead end, but its muscular engagement of weighty themes and explosive situations makes it a powerful drama.
January 13, 2004
Excellent performances, a great soundtrack, and the Hughes' technical virtuosity make it worth a look.
