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I first laid eyes on Bones on a big-back TV. A teenage me slipped the DVD into the PlayStation 2 countless times to see Snoop in a silk press kicking ass and taking names. Despite its reputation on sites like Rotten Tomatoes, Bones has more to offer than silly villains and cheesy B-movie antics ( which I love). Bones offers an inside look at thriving Black communities and how putting money before the community harms everyone. It’s a beautiful, yet tragic, love story intertwined with a tale of revenge. It’s a time capsule of the early aughts, layered with elements of Blaxploitation and Giallo films. Bones is another underappreciated Black horror film that critics tore their teeth into without catching any of the flavors ( it’s a pattern I keep noticing). This film and its director Ernest Dickerson deserve their flowers when they often receive thorns.
I want to tap into the story. Bones isn’t just another revenge movie (or B movie). Usually, there’s some story about a prank gone wrong, or bullying gone too far, or a sexual assault. In this case, someone who is a pillar of the community gets roped into a nefarious meeting with people who pretend to be collaborators.
When Jimmy Bones (Snoop Dogg) doesn’t play ball, they remove him from the game. It reminds me of the death of Martin Moorehouse in “Rogue Cop Revelation” from Tales From The Hood (1995). Martin stood in the way of the state (the police) dumping drugs into a community. He was rewarded with a painful death under the forced influence of drugs. This shows how fighting for the community can end when you fight against people with more power and influence. They can bury you without a trace and strip you of your dignity. They can scare others into betraying you because of the power dynamics.
In Bones, Jimmy is presented with the opportunity to funnel drugs into his community for profit. His business partner, another associate, and a police officer (there’s always a crooked cop or state involvement) describe great wealth and escaping the current neighborhood. This is commonly seen as a sign of success. However, Jimmy pushes back against this idea. He maintains that he has everything he needs and he doesn’t want to abandon his community. Jimmy redefined success so he could not be seduced by greed. His success included being a staple of the community instead of draining the life from it for capital.
In the short time we see him alive, he is positively received by most of the neighbors. He even gives money to the neighborhood kids. This gives his character a sense of integrity (one I doubt Snoop Dogg actually has), despite running an illegal gambling ring. He doesn’t fold under pressure and always maintains a cool and collected demeanor—not to mention he was fly as hell and his hair was LAID. Killing Jimmy Bones was like stabbing a community in the heart. It brought a darkness over the hood which can be seen with the color changes used in the flashbacks. Jimmy’s revenge is sweeter because he represents something bigger than himself.
Bones draws an extra bit of interest by adding depth to Jimmy’s enemies, even if it seems exaggerated. Eddie Mack (Ricky Harris) is on the come-up and wants what Jimmy has. He’s more interested in capital gain and he sees the residents as consumers. His lack of integrity enables him to destroy a community if that means he’ll have status and nice things. Eddie Mack took Jimmy’s place. However, the throne wasn’t the same in a crumbling kingdom.
While Eddie ends up with nice things and a ruin to rule, he also still has to answer to Lupovich (Michael T. Weiss), the police officer involved in Jimmy’s murder. While the fat suit was a CHOICE, he represents how the state preys on these communities. It was Lupovich’s idea to make everyone stab Jimmy. He demonstrates how officials can push your back against the wall until you do something terrible, then dangle it over you to keep control.
But the biggest betrayal comes from Jeremiah (Clifton Powell). He worked closely with Jimmy, but it was clear that Jimmy had more money and respect. Jeremiah wanted that status and felt he could get it through drugs. Jeremiah’s desire to have more pushed him to set this meeting up. If his integrity matched Jimmy’s, he wouldn’t have considered it. Jeremiah’s idea of success was tied to being bigger than the community and leaving, instead of being a part of it and ensuring that it thrives. He didn’t want to kill Jimmy, but he still benefitted from Jimmy’s death all the same. Jeremiah has distanced himself from the old neighborhood, although his company owns Jimmy’s house.
When success is framed as something you have to achieve away from your roots, it can encourage self-hate. Jeremiah moves to the suburbs, puts on a cable-knit sweater, and turns heel on the place he helped destroy. He still harbors the guilt from what he did to Jimmy; he can be seen reminiscing over pictures of Jimmy and his son (photos he’s kept for decades).
But this guilt is mixed with fear. Lupovich dangles his past in front of him; there’s a chance the body and murder could be discovered. It isn’t far-fetched to think that Lupovich would throw Jeremiah and his other accomplices under the bus. Jeremiah’s freedom and wealth are at stake. His fear creeps out when he discovers his son has purchased the Bones’ home. Shotgun (Ron Selmour), Jimmy’s security guard, represents survival mode. He tried to fight back but ended up on the wrong side of the gun. It was made clear he would be killed if he didn’t follow through with betraying Jimmy. He chose to live, which came at the price of constant fear. We meet Shotgun as he’s fleeing Jimmy’s spirit. He didn’t benefit much financially, and he’s still on the dilapidated block. He’s just trying to live.
Amongst the betrayal, a true love story thrived. Pearl was there when Jimmy was murdered. When it was her turn to stab him, she began to turn the knife on herself. Jimmy loved her too much to allow her to sacrifice herself for him, so he pushed the knife into himself to save her (I mean who wouldn’t save Pam Grier?!?!). Black women are often sacrificing themselves for the cause and it was refreshing for someone to sacrifice for the Black woman instead. Pearl’s character repeatedly warned others about impending dangers. She was ignored (art imitates life). She also never left the neighborhood and has to live through the fall of the community as Jeremiah, Eddie Mack, and Lupovich get rich.
The story ropes me in and the aesthetic wraps me like a blanket. Bones is aggressively 2000s from the camera work to the outfits. This film doesn’t shy away from Giallo horror elements: The bright red blood, the revenge tale, the stylish furnishings, and a signature blade. We also get a healthy dose of maggots (a Giallo staple). The showdown in the crumbling building is a visual delight (mostly). The City of the Dead haunted my teen nightmares, especially because we get a close-up look. Some visuals were more fun than terrifying, but they were still memorable. I never expected to see a pool table bleed, or victims leave behind a cartoonish outline in blood. The camp gives levity to a tragic revenge story, which makes it incredibly rewatchable. If you look past the camp, and a bit of the dialogue, a deeper story exists, making Bones worth appreciating.
Categorized:Editorials
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