The American Society of Magical Negroes

Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

This is the kind of movie where it has an interesting premise and it could have explored interesting satirical themes and ideas but instead, the filmmaker doesn't really offer much with any creative outlooks and follows cliched and uninteresting tropes.

Kobi Libii has a concept that could have been interesting but his bland direction and the unambitious tones really create a hollow and investing story with dull cliche tropes, uninteresting characters and weak performances from the cast members. I like Justice Smith and Smith is trying his best but unfortunately his dull character and the poor dialogue really lacks his performance. Throughout, I found myself feeling bored and thinking that this movie could have been at least interesting if the filmmaker had thought about actually trying to add something that feels weird or unique. But that's not what I got. Instead, what I got was more of a dull and uninspired narrative that really wastes the talented cast and concepts.

What a shame.