In this sorry attempt at blaxploitation spoofing, Michael Jai White dons a Shaft costume to play an ex-CIA commando, Black Dynamite. Is he one cool gun-toting, nunchuck-wielding cat with slick kung-fu moves and an appetite for the ladies who’s as hard as, well, his six pack? Or is he just one of those brothas who thinks he can get by with a wink and a smile, minus the smile?

Whatever he’s aiming for, he has missed it by miles while avenging his brother, ridding the streets of dope and pimp slapping the First Lady into the china cabinet.

Expect plenty of action but be warned, between the sketchy storyline, unconvincing street talk and questionable facial hair, you could lose track of the fine line separating spoof and plain bad filmmaking. Its sole redeeming feature may be the unashamedly retro décor and costuming, which is so in now, if you can sit through the tedious tour of Homer, Hesiod and Ovid that is.

Spoof or not, in an already tired genre, one has to wonder if it’s just a little overworked.