This is one of those films that not just made Fred Williamson a star but also a iconic figure in the early 1970s. The film does have some flaws such as the acting which to me had many mediocre moments but the film had many great moments that were believable and authentic. I also love Larry Cohen's approach to the film in the 1930's Warner Bro's gangster film fashion which is not to me a bad thing. The thing I loved the most about this particular film was its use of violence and how ugly and horrible it really is but in my personal opinion this a flawed but powerful gangster film that I consider a classic of the genre and a very memorable piece of film making by Larry Cohen.

Larry Cohen writes and directs Fred Williamson in this exciting and well-paced gangster drama, a blaxploitation remake of the Edward G. Robinson classic Little Caesar. While the story is nothing new, it's solid entertainment with enough interesting Cohen touches to elevate it above the pack. Good performances from the entire cast. Williamson does Robinson proud. Art Lund will make your skin crawl and the final confrontation with Williamson is very intense. Gloria Hendry and, in a small role, Myrna Hansen are both hot. But the real star is that amazing James Brown soundtrack. Not the best Blaxploitation flick but it's up there.

I can't say I'm a fan of "Blaxploitation" films, and indeed this one is one of my very few forays into the genres. It didn't change my opinion much either; what we have here is basically a crime thriller along the same lines as Scarface, except most of the main players are black. The film appealed to me mainly because of the fact that it's written and directed by Larry Cohen who also wrote and directed some of my favourite low budget trash films; films such as It's Alive, The Stuff, Q and The Ambulance. This is an early Cohen film and it appears he didn't get much chance to refine his craft as despite a decent directional debut with 'Bone' a year earlier; this film mostly fits the 'trash' bill in the bad way. The lead character is Tommy Gibbs, who starts off a young kid and gets his leg broken by a copper during a robbery. He's not best pleased and upon his return several years later, he decides to rise to power himself in order to put up a fight against the powers that stand already; both the criminal and the law enforcement.Aside from the fact that the film didn't appeal to me much, it's also badly written and doesn't make up for in originality what it lacks in substance. As mentioned, I'm not well versed in this genre; but I imagine it's more about style than anything else and Larry Cohen does at least give the film a cool vibe that is well done. James Brown features heavily on the soundtrack and it works with the film, although the scenes involving "The Boss" only served in reminding me of how Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels used the song much better. The lead role is taken by Fred Williamson and it does have to be said that he's one of the best things about the film. The central role in this film does require someone 'cool' to play it, and Williamson certainly is that person. The plot is a problem because it's never exactly difficult to tell where it's going and this results in the film not having a great deal of suspense. Cohen's script doesn't really make us care for the lead character either, which means it doesn't really matter where the film goes. This might appeal to fans of this genre but it hasn't made me want to see more it...I don't recommend this one.

The saga of Fred Williamson as he rises from a kid running errands for the Mob to a gang leader in Harlem. A crazy operatic structure that treads just on this side of absurdity, but manages for the most part not to go over the edge. Williamson is excellent, especially in that he doesn't take the cheap way out and make his character a hero. While he's often sympathetic, it's also clear he's a nasty piece of work. Classic James Brown soundtrack. The big climax, particularly the "shoeshine" sequence, is absolutely jaw-dropping. Lots of action and some gratuitous nudity, always a plus. Interestingly, one of the few blaxploitation movies I've seen where white racism isn't just a surface gloss, but rather an integral part of the storyline. I can't speak enough about this movie, highly recommended.