Movie Review: I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)

★★★★★

I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is straight-up ridiculous in the best way. It’s like a love letter to blaxploitation with nonstop laughs.

Andre B.

Florida

When people talk about great movie parodies, titles like Airplane! or The Naked Gun usually dominate the conversation. But I’m Gonna Git You Sucka belongs right up there.

Watching it again for BoxReview.com, I was reminded that Keenen Ivory Wayans didn’t just make a joke-a-minute spoof; he made a genuine love letter to blaxploitation films of the 70s, while also poking fun at their tropes and excesses. This isn’t just random gags thrown at the wall; it’s smart, affectionate comedy built on a deep understanding of the genre.

The Premise: Gold Chains and Old Scores

The plot follows Jack Spade (Wayans himself), a soldier returning home to the inner city after his brother dies from an “overdose” of gold chains. Yes, you read that right. Turns out the neighborhood has fallen under the control of the local crime boss Mr. Big (John Vernon), and Jack assembles a ragtag crew of aging blaxploitation heroes to take him down.

It’s a classic “getting the band back together” setup, but filtered through a parody lens where the stakes are absurd, yet the characters play them completely straight.

The Cast: Legends of a Bygone Era

One of the film’s most brilliant moves is casting real-life stars of the blaxploitation era, like Jim Brown (Slaughter), Fred Williamson (Black Caesar), Antonio Fargas (Foxy Brown), and Bernie Casey (Hit Man).

These aren’t cameos for the sake of nostalgia. Wayans gives them meaty comedic moments that play off their old screen personas. Watching these legends poke fun at themselves is half the fun.

Antonio Fargas’s “Flyguy” scene, where he struts into the movie wearing platform shoes with live goldfish in the heels, is burned into my memory forever.

Keenen Ivory Wayans: The Smartest Guy in the Room

Wayans wrote, directed, and starred in the film, and his approach to parody is clever. He doesn’t just mock the genre; he acknowledges why it was appealing in the first place. The heroes are cool, the villains are cartoonishly evil, and the action is stylized.

But he also points out the genre’s clichés, the funky basslines, the exaggerated machismo, the over-the-top violence, and cranks them up until they’re ridiculous.

Under-Discussed Detail: The Film’s Satire Is Layered

Sure, it’s a spoof, but I’m Gonna Git You Sucka also comments on how the social context of the 70s blaxploitation boom had changed by the late 80s. There are moments where characters openly acknowledge they’re too old for street fights, or that “the neighborhood isn’t the same anymore.”

It’s almost meta, a parody about how the genre it’s parodying had already faded away.

The Humor: From Slapstick to Smart

Wayans’ comedy is a mix of visual gags, wordplay, and exaggerated set pieces. The movie has some moments of broad, almost cartoonish slapstick (the shootout with “too much” gunfire, for example), but it also slips in more subtle jokes that you might miss if you’re not paying attention.

One of my personal favorites is the running gag about the number of gold chains a man can physically wear; it’s absurd, but also a clever exaggeration of the flashy style of 70s movie pimps and hustlers.

The Action: Purposefully Over the Top

The fight scenes are part homage, part joke. You’ve got obvious stunt doubles, impossibly long punch reactions, and perfectly timed explosions, all staples of low-budget action cinema.

But here’s the thing: the choreography is actually solid. Wayans doesn’t just make bad fights for the sake of parody; he makes fights that feel like the ones you remember from the 70s, but funnier.

The Music: Funk Forever

The soundtrack leans heavily on funky basslines, wah-wah guitars, and brassy fanfares, exactly what you’d expect from a blaxploitation score. It’s not just background noise; it’s part of the joke. The music sometimes cuts in and out abruptly, almost as if the “movie” inside the movie is being edited in real-time.

Themes That Don’t Get Talked About Enough

1. Respect for the Past – Even while poking fun, the movie treats its older stars like royalty.

2. Generational Humor – Much of the comedy comes from how the world has moved on from the 70s, but the characters haven’t.

3. Community Commentary – Beneath the absurdity, there’s a faint echo of social critique, the way the neighborhood’s decline mirrors the fading of its old heroes.

Why I’m Gonna Git You Sucka Still Works

Comedy ages fast, but this movie’s blend of parody and homage gives it staying power. It’s still hilarious, even if you’ve never seen a 70s blaxploitation film, but it’s even richer if you know the references.

Also, the cultural conversation about representation in film has only grown since the 80s, which makes Wayans’ affectionate send-up feel ahead of its time. He wasn’t mocking the idea of black heroes; he was celebrating them, while laughing at the excesses of the genre.

Final Thoughts

I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is more than just a goofy parody. It’s a well-crafted, smartly acted, and surprisingly respectful nod to a unique chapter of film history.

If you want to laugh and appreciate a little bit of film history at the same time, it’s still a joy to watch.