As the once greatest circus showman P. T. Barnum eloquently stated "There's a sucker born every minute"..... don't be next. Avoid this dull film enfused with PC crap and endless dull rhymes.

I raised my 1 rating to a 2 based on the film's cover art....it was the ONLY thing good about this otherwise forgettable film.

Coming off a well receptive original run from 411 BC Greece, Aristophanes' play lives on because of the universal themes it projects. Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) leads the women of Chicago from with holding sex from men until the gang wars stop and the men surrender their arms. They take over the National Guard Armory similar to the take over of the Acropolis in the original tale. Spike Lee maintained the idea of the divided chorus, but his version had more differences than similarities.

In this film two gangs are at war: Trojans who wear orange lead by Cyclops (Wesley Snipes). They are fighting against the Spartans who wear purple and are lead by Chi-Raq (Nick Cannon). John Cusack plays a preacher/priest in the community. The dialogue is mostly poetic, much in a rap style. The issues go deep and is supportive of Black Lives Matter, painting everyone in South Carolina as racists. It is also anti-NRA and the politics of the film is the cause for both the love and the hate. Most of the politics is presented in a funeral eulogy delivered by John Cusack who wasn't poetic. Drugs are alluded to, but are not considered a major problem.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Dolmedes who narrates the story and gives us the Greek background. Spike Lee has managed to find clothes that don't look good on Jackson as well as poetry he can't master. Lee also uses numerous Greek names in the film, including the gang names that were not in the original play. For instance Oedipus (Wade F. Wilson) describes an unhealthy relationship with his mother.

Certainly worth a view for liberals. Conservatives will most likely be less enthusiastic.

Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity. Adult themes and language throughout.

I almost feel guilty that I had not heard about this before the other day. Not just because of Spike and the amazing cast ... but because this is based on a Greek play/story. Now suspending your disbelief is mandatory ... especially because a lot of the things that work out in this movie, will very likely not work in the real world ... which is a shame but that is the way it is.

It is also interesting to see Teyonah here - one of the newest MCU members. I haven't seen the Candyman remake yet either as you can tell. She plays the lead role here and is quite convincing. Who wouldn't want to ... agree with her? Close minded people obviously, but that aside ... logic is on her side too! The issue is that Americans in general love their guns too much .. so much that I don't even think a sex strike would work on most of them.

But seeing this as a movie and a play nonetheless, you can be excused to allow just that. Quite sexual (I mean ... obviously/duh) this has some weird scenes too in it. Especially the one with a boy watching his mom having sex ... I guess there was a point to it I didn't get - other than it being quite weird and uncomfortable to watch. But "flaws" aside (if you can call it that),the movie is strong and delivers an anti gun message - that you will either love or hate.