This is an interesting and insightful look at five members of the 'Bloods,' who are involved in a decades-long street struggle with the 'Crips' in south-central Los Angeles. The feuds have to do with dope-selling, territory, gang pride, and respect.
I couldn't really begin to understand where all the machismo comes from. We see Blood gang members getting high, and ruthlessly talking about vengeance and killing. Meanwhile, somewhere outside of their territory, no doubt the Crips were doing the same thing. It would have been interesting to 'compare' their attitudes, although I suspect those attitudes were identical.
This doc is valuable in showing viewers (particularly white viewers) the madness and hopelessness in festering ghetto life . When a 16-year-old 'home boy,' Michael Johnson, is shot dead, it acts as a catalyst in slowly changing how the members look at themselves and their lifestyle, which seems to have been pre-ordained for them before they were even born. They joined to survive on the streets, or so they thought.
This is an honest depiction of how the four 'survivors' (Low-Down, Dig Dug, KK, and Jumbo) more or less escaped from gang life to find other lives. Two of them found comfort in religion.
I'd like to see an update on this film, because the viewer, despite looking at these men with their violent (and often senseless) macho attitudes, still cares about what happens to them. Very well done documentary.
