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Bucum Jackson (Ice Cube) is a Miami bounty hunter tracking down a minor-league repeat-offender named Reginald Wright (Mike Epps). Reggie goes out to pick up a lottery ticket for his girlfriend, Gina (Eva Mendes) - she knows she's got the numbers that will win the $60 million jackpot. Bucum spots Reggie and the chase is on. Reggie ducks into a building being used for a photo shoot and inadvertently walks into the middle of a major diamond heist - 20 million dollars worth of hot rocks. That's a lot of Benjamins ($100 bills).
Robert Williamson (Tommy Flanagan) is the evil jewel thief, Ramose (Roger
Guenveur Smith) provides the muscle, and Ursula (Carmen Chaplin) provides
the sex appeal (but she's not afraid to use a gun). Bucum and Reggie find
themselves forced into a partnership to stay alive and, just maybe, to
get their hands on some of that money.
Reggie's To Do List:
- Very important - learn how to remove handcuffs.
- Pick up winning lottery ticket - try not to lose it in bad guy's getaway
van.
- Help a couple of old ladies pick up a few things at the store.
- Look both ways when riding the scooter!
Bucum's To Do List:
- Get expensive tropical fish - don't forget to put them in the tank.
- Get extra batteries for Taser gun - you never know when you'll need it.
- Tell boss -"I need a raise or I quit".
This movie is full of tongue-in-cheek humor, from Ice Cube's name (pronounced
"book 'em", as in Dan-O) to the grisly torture scene that gives
a whole new meaning to "putting the screws to somebody". The
bad guys are really bad, and the good guys aren't so nice either.
On the down side, the story doesn't take advantage of the cameos by Anthony
Michael Hall and Lil Bow Wow - they're just window-dressing. The action
sequences are retreads of car-chases and shoot-outs with a Miami-Vice boat
ride and a gratuitous dog race at the track thrown in for good measure.
Bottom line - this is never going to win Ice (does he go by Mr. Cube? Mr. Ice? - whatever)
an Academy Award for best screenplay, but it doesn't go over the top with
rapper speak - "bling, bling in the hiz-ouse", so you don't need
a translator. Mike Epps is hilarious when he gets going, the story keeps
moving, and Ice Cube is believable as a tough-guy bounty hunter with some
serious attitude. Overall, it makes for an entertaining movie.
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