Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson lead the assault in urban revenge thriller Four Brothers. Although director John Singleton managed to coax heartfelt performances from his cast, critics were not so impressed by the "feeble whodunnit plot". Fortunately for Singleton, that mattered less to moviegoers who made this a modest box office hit, taking $75m against a $40m budget.
Blood Brothers
In four behind-the-scenes featurettes, Singleton talks a lot about recreating a classic western in a modern environment. In The Look Of Four Brothers, he explains that violence and retribution, "goes to the heart of what American filmmaking is all about", while Gibson likens the onscreen posse to "John Wayne and the wolf pack". We're shown lots of walking wide-shots to illustrate the point while the dilapidated industrial backdrop and snowy weather are intended to recreate the ambience of an "old western ghost town".
Screenwriters David Elliot and Paul Lovett have their say in Crafting Four Brothers, again referencing spaghetti westerns as a key influence. They also express an earnest wish to make the brothers "race-neutral", but their take on the violence is rather simplistic. Apparently their only concern was to make the characters likeable so that the bloodshed wouldn't be too off-putting.
The Mercer House Shootout featurette indulges in more gunplay. The special effects team get to work wiring the house to imitate "450 bullet hits" while countless more rounds of blank ammunition are discharged. It's all a bit dull really although we're told Wahlberg did most of his own stunts and - shock, horror - "inhaled some dust" while rolling around the floor. Singleton reminds us again what a tough guy his pal Wahlberg really is in Behind The Brotherhood, ie he grew up "on the streets" committing petty crimes to feed his drug habit. What a guy!
Taking Aim
Mama Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan) gets her brains blown out in one of nine deleted scenes. Although we're spared the gruesome details, it is shockingly crass. Elsewhere the brothers dispense dull platitudes at her funeral, but there are some bright spots as well, as the guys just sit around and shoot the breeze.
In his feature commentary, Singleton explains that he encouraged lots of improvisation, adding that while there was little rehearsal time, the actors developed their bond by playing hockey together. He sums up his approach, saying, "I try to find what is felt and not tangible." On top of that, he talks more about the modern western concept right down to the framing of key shots.
It's a hit-and-miss package, but for those who've followed Singleton's career from his blazing debut with Boyz N The Hood, this DVD does give some good insight into what makes this director tick.
EXTRA FEATURES
