Light it Up

Starring: Usher Raymond, Forest Whittaker, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa L. Williams, Judd Nelson
Directed by: Craig Bolotin
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1999

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A beloved teacher (Judd Nelson) is wrongly fired from an inner city high school, and a group of students (including Usher Raymond) come to his defense by taking the school security guard hostage (Forest Whittaker). Things immediately get out of control, and the small group of students becomes barricaded in the school with their hostage while the police surround the building. Now, they must find a way to explain the situation before they all go to prison for a very long time.

Review:

Tim: Light it Up is a film that is both entertaining and has a very powerful message. In the midst of a hostage movie are commentary on racism, classism, and ageism. That is rare to find.

Usher Raymond and Rosario Dawson do a good job leading the high schoolers in the hostage crisis. Forest Whittaker gives a good performance as the hostage, and has quite a few intense scenes with the younger actor. Whittaker is really a great actor. Vanessa Williams is the low point of the movie. She is perhaps the worst hostage negotiator in the history of movies. She isn't believable for a second and comes across as a very incompetent negotiator.

The film is pretty intense and interesting, but it is hard for a hostage movie not to be. The movie is also oftentimes silly and ridiculous. It has a very low budget feel to it, but not in a quaint manner. However, for what it lacks, it makes up in raw emotional appeal. The film ends in pretty dramatic fashion and it is here that we realize we are more involved in the movie than we thought we were.

All in all, this is a pretty decent flick. It is emotional, powerful, but also pretty flawed. You can certainly do worse, but if it was up to me, I'd take The Breakfast Club any day.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Breakfast Club, The Negotiator, The Substitute