A drug kingpin's return home touches off a turf war.
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Best movie of this year hands down!
To me, this movie is perfection.
i must have seen a different film!!
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Slight spoilers.The most obvious comparison is Scarface, of course. Scarface was an interesting movie, because it took a rather uncompromising, unglamorous look at a repugnant character -- one who had been glamorized in numerous other movies. The greatest pity is that some people STILL managed to view Scarface in that glamorous light.Never Die Alone runs with that. It tempts you to empathize with the protagonist, a drug dealer who has been talking about redemption, righting his past wrongs, paying his dues, and making things right. The movie opens with his death, which is revealed to be brutal and arbitrary. However, as you learn about the man's life, you come to hate him, realize that he's a monster, and all his talk of "redemption" is just bullshit. King David is a despicable sociopath, and watching him ruin the lives of everyone else in the movie is not an easy thing.It's a powerful story, but there are some problems. First, it's a bit preachy. Second, the pacing can get a bit slow at times. The sex scenes, in particular, struck me as a bit boring. The brutality may bother some sensitive viewers. It's not the violence itself that's so disturbing; rather, it's that the violence is depicted realistically. There are consequences to the actions taken, and they are far-reaching, rather than the traditional Hollywood consequence-free violence that solves every problem. Many people have criticized the acting, but I thought it was fine. The directing wasn't exactly inspired, but I like Dickerson. His style isn't artistic or showy, and I doubt he'll ever transcend his B-movie roots, but his gritty, retro-blaxploitation influences work for me.
For starters story is very smart. That's the stand out thing in the movie. Interesting how one person can affect so many. But it seemed very short.Acting wise it was average I guess. I'm a fan of DMX and think he isn't a bad actor. But most characters he's played are pretty similar. Good job by the supporting cast as well. David Arquette was the a stand out.Overall an enjoyable movie. I was looking forward to seeing this movie very much for some reason, and it didn't let me down, but it wasn't perfect either. Once you've watched it you'll probably think something was missing because of the shortness, but there isn't (I think!). I look forward to reading the book.
Since truth is indeed sometimes stranger than fiction, often the movie with the most unlikely scenario is the one that turns out to be the most believable. This is the case with "Never Die Alone," an urban crime drama with a plot just loopy enough to keep us interested and just goofy enough to make us believe it.David Arquette plays a white reporter who hangs around in a predominantly black section of the city soaking up the "atmosphere" for articles and books he hopes to write. One night, he attempts to save the life of a black drug kingpin (played by DMX) by driving the man to the hospital after he's been left for dead in a revenge killing. Immediately before his death, the man, who goes by the name "King David," bequeaths his car and other earthly possessions to this inner city Good Samaritan. Included in the haul is an assortment of tapes David recorded detailing his experiences as a successful drug pusher in LA. Thus, as Paul listens to these recordings, a full picture of the kind of man David was soon emerges.The best thing about "Never Die Alone" is that it doesn't flinch from displaying the ugly, harsh realities of its blood-splattered world. It shows how even the innocent and the good eventually fall victim to the evils of drug addiction and crime. The film is not afraid to kill off characters in a random way, often surprising us with just who ends up dying and who ends up surviving. And it does not attempt to sugarcoat "King David," for despite all his comments about redemption and making up for the evil he's done, David is one hell of an amoral bastard who does some pretty horrible things to some truly undeserving people - and the film does not shy away from depicting that reality.Although, on the surface, the film seems like just another in a long line of sordid crime dramas involving crack heads, dope fiends and armed-to-the-teeth ghetto gangstas, "Never Die Alone," perhaps because it is willing to hold nothing back in what it chooses to show us, has a certain ring of truth about it. Whatever the reason, "Never Die Alone" is a cut above the average.
When reading about the plot of this movie upon its release, the concept although extremely familiar sounded promising, even though DMX was involved. Although DMX's music has been very well received, there is a good chance that his movie career will not be of a similar level of praise. DMX plays King David a man who returns after 10 years, only to die. David Arquette is the man who pieces together the fragments of King David's life. Within the few minutes you can tell this is different from your usual Hip-hop kind of movies with fast editing and lots of serious bling within the few minutes. Continuing with the manner of the opening half hour, the movie could have been much better than it was. It is obvious that the movie is a vehicle to glorify DMX. This is part of the problem, the other problem is that the movie is a mess. When going into recap although interesting at times, the movie doesn't develop, instead we have DMX in his usual role. There is no depth to the character of King David, we have no real remorse shown, no character, no emotion. There are elements in the story that could be involved much more but instead the camera cuts to shots of drug usage, some sex and some violence. The thoughts of DMX come out as if they're heavily lifted from somewhere, and the thoughts are not really backed up. David Arquette although used very little, does not offer anything to the movie. Although a very likable actor, he has not really given a stellar performance in a movie yet.Never Die Alone is much better than a lot of the rubbish that fills the screens nowadays but it lacks so much. There is potential but it is never explored. My rating-4/10