In 1988, N.W.A. shocked a nation when they released their debut album Straight Outta Compton. They outraged mainstream America, were scorned by politicians and even targeted by the FBI. They dubbed themselves the “world’s most dangerous group,” which makes it a shame that the film based on their story plays it so safe.
The first hour of Straight Outta Compton is fantastic. Every scene is brimming with an energy that builds to a perfectly timed music sequence. Whether it’s watching Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) finally nail a famous line from “Boyz in the Hood” or seeing the police encounter that led to the creation of the explosive “Fuck tha Police,” there’s a passion that, for some time, makes the film as bold as its subjects.
Straight Outta Compton is not kind to the Los Angeles Police Department. They’re portrayed as racist thugs ready to commit violence at the sight of a black man. It’s probably an unfair characterization, but N.W.A. were never about playing fair. The LAPD were the enemy to them, and the film brilliantly shows that perspective. The police are such an oppressive force that when they throw someone to the ground it feels like the policeman’s boot is on your neck.
Unfortunately, the film’s brilliance falters after the first hour when Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) leaves the group. What began as a daring depiction of the rise of rap legends turns into an episode of VH1’s Behind the Music. The story moves at a lightning pace to include every major event in the group’s career, while story lines that serve the narrative are glossed over for awkward references to famous rappers. Suge Knight (R. Marcos Taylor) takes the place of the police as the primary villain, but where the police felt like a credible threat, Knight feels like a cartoon character who was never going to seriously harm Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins).
Straight Outta Compton is filled with solid actors who do their best, and F. Gary Gray’s direction is consistently great throughout, but I wish the film were as consistent. Watching the credits, which include career overviews for Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, Straight Outta Compton ends up feeling more like an attempt at securing an already secured legacy instead of making a genuinely good film.
