Watch Welcome to ChiRaq The Murder Capital Of The United States
- NR
- 2016
- 2 hr 2 min
-
6.2 (7)
Welcome to ChiRaq: The Murder Capital of The United States is a 2016 satirical musical drama that takes a critical look at gang violence and gun crime in Chicago. The film is titled after a portmanteau of Chicago and Iraq, reflecting the severity of the situation. Directed by Spike Lee and written by Kevin Willmott and Lee, the movie portrays the fictional South Side of Chicago as a war zone, with rival gangs taking sides in a battle for control of their neighborhood. The movie is inspired by Aristophanesâ 411 BCE Greek play Lysistrata, which tells the story of a woman who convinces other women to withhold sex from their partners until they end the Peloponnesian War.
In the movie, a woman named Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris), inspired by the Greek play, rallies women from both sides of the war to stage a sex strike in an effort to stop the violence. The film also includes a range of notable actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, Nick Cannon, John Cusack, and Angela Bassett.
The movie opens with the character of Father Mike Corridan (John Cusack) leading a funeral procession for a young girl killed in a drive-by shooting. From there, the movie is structured as a series of chapters, each named after a different Greek play.
Throughout the film, Lee contrasts the violence and poverty of the South Side with the wealth and privilege of other neighborhoods in Chicago. He also criticizes the government for its inaction in dealing with the problem.
The movieâs central message is that the violence in Chicago is the result of systemic problems such as poverty, racism, and neglect. By using a combination of satire, music, and drama, Lee attempts to draw attention to these issues and spark a dialogue about how to solve them.
The film is shot in a style that is reminiscent of a music video, with vibrant colors and stylized scenes. The movie also features original songs by artists like Jennifer Hudson, R. Kelly, and Nick Cannon.
One of the most powerful scenes in the movie is a spoken word poem by John Cusackâs character, where he criticizes Americaâs gun culture and sheds light on the high number of gun-related deaths in the country.
Overall, Welcome to ChiRaq: The Murder Capital of The United States is a thought-provoking and timely movie that succeeds in highlighting the realities of gang violence and gun crime in urban America. The film is not without its flaws, but its message is important and urgent.