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Bomb the System

EMAILPRINTPalm Pictures

Bomb the System reviews
52
9.6 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Action  |  Drama

Written by: Adam Bhala Lough

Directed by: Adam Bhala Lough

Release Date:
Theatrical: May 27, 2005
DVD: October 11, 2005

Running Time: 91 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for pervasive language, drug use, some violence and sexuality/nudity

Starring Mark Webber, Jaclyn DeSantis, Gano Grills, Jade Yorker, Joey Dedio, Al Sapienza, Bonz Malone, and Kumar Pallana

Shot entirely on the streets of New York City, Bomb the System is the first feature in over 20 years to delve into the world of graffiti art. (Palm Pictures)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

80

Film Threat Eric Campos

Excellent acting, great music, amazing artwork and gorgeous Christopher Doyle type cinematography make this film an absolute treat to sit through. It's like a big piece of candy.

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80

Variety David Rooney

A richly textured drama with an angry poetic edge that gets inside the obsessive subculture of New York graffiti artists, Bomb the System signals the arrival of a talented filmmaker in NYU film graduate Adam Bhala Lough.

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70

Village Voice Peter L'Official

A needlessly circuitous plot twist leaves a bitter taste, but not before the film's scruffy charm does its work.

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70

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Bomb the System, which rides on a subtle hip-hop soundtrack, might be described as soulful pulp; cult recognition awaits it.

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60

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

In the end it's all seductive surface and no substance, but Lough has a bold eye and a vivid sense of uniquely urban beauty.

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60

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Has an exhilarating edge. It's only when they open their mouths that the movie gets into trouble.

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60

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

Should attract some interest in urban theatrical situations before settling into cult video status.

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50

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Well acted and ably directed, if not very probing about its subject of underclass youth.

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50

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Visually dazzling and dramatically trite -- it's virtuoso piffle.

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50

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

The first feature from Adam Bhala Lough is brashly passionate in its desire to express the power and validity of graffiti art. But it's also preachy and single-minded, populated by a world of sympathetic heroes and hissable villains.

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50

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust

Hurting the film is the fact that the central character, Anthony, is so self-absorbed.

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42

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

The film half-heartedly paints their actions as rebel-chic heroism even when it has all the integrity of tomcats spraying outside their yards, and it ends up just as confused as the characters.

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38

New York Post Lou Lumenick

A mild, slow-moving drama that belatedly tries to argue that graffiti writers are political artists, not an urban blight.

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30

LA Weekly Ernest Hardy

As Bomb snakes its way toward tragedy, it grates rather than entices. The actors come off more as poseurs than as characters, and the film's political and cultural insights are superficial and old hat.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 9.6 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Beautiful cinematography is the highlight of this film which is a strong first effort by Ivan Bhala Lough. Look for good things to come from him in the future.

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