Idlewild

Scott Hardie: “It sucked.”

It's not that rap can't work in a period musical; it's that rappers can't make movies. OutKast are brilliant musicians with limitless charm and creativity, but when they go this far out of their element, they need to be reigned in by a director who knows the territory, not a buddy who shot some of their music videos. Everybody here wants to make a Movie, and that gives it the pace of rush-hour traffic as it comes braking to a halt every two minutes for an intense scene where André experiences profound love or where Big Boi gives or receives lethal threats. It needs very much not to take itself so seriously. The songs are great, but then almost all of them are reworked from OutKast's best album, and listening to that album with your eyes closed is vastly more entertaining than watching this clumsy mess.

− April 22, 2007 • more by Scott • log in or register to reply