‘One Spoon of Chocolate’ Delivers Impressive Action but Weak Storytelling
RZA is best known as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, but he also has a history of working in film. The New York rapper has composed scores, produced movies and TV shows, and even co-wrote and directed his first movie, “The Man with Iron Fists” in 2012. He returns to the director’s chair with a new action thriller, “One Spoon of Chocolate,” as writer and director. This new film tries to work in the same mode of racial revenge fantasy that “Django Unchained” did masterfully. While “One Spoon of Chocolate” contains some epic action sequences, the writing fails to tell an engaging story.
“One Spoon of Chocolate” lays all of its cards out on the table pretty quickly. The movie opens by showing a Black man senselessly assaulted by a group of racists before having his organs harvested. It is immediately obvious that this film is a commentary on racism and exploitation of Black men in America. After this inciting event, the story follows an ex-convict, Unique (Shameik Moore), as he is paroled and requests to be transferred to Ohio where he can reunite with his cousin, Ramsee (RJ Cyler). It’s revealed through a conversation with his parole officer that Unique is a man willing to fight for justice, serving three tours in Iraq and going to prison for defending his neighbor against her abusive husband.
