Movie Review

East of Havana (2007)

Reviewed by Scott Brown | Feb 07, 2007

Scott Brown

Scott Brown writes the Hit List for EW and is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio -- he has the tote bag to prove it

Share
Comments
Add your comment

EW's GRADE

B-

Details Limited Release: Feb 02, 2007; Rated: Unrated; Length: 82 Minutes; Genre: Documentary

$HIGH FIDEL-ITY? In Havana, El Cartel could be kings of rap, but societal pressures interrupt its members\' flow | East of Havana$

HIGH FIDEL-ITY? In Havana, El Cartel could be kings of rap, but societal pressures interrupt its members' flow

More reviews about this film Powered by MRQE.com

''Cuban hip-hop'' isn't a well-known subgenre, and El Cartel — a trio of rappers making unapproved music under the thumb of Castro — aren't exactly the Wu-Tang Clan. In a more open society, this game but muted documentary suggests, Mikki Flow, Soandry, and Magyori would be superstars; yet superstardom (in the maximalist American sense) is something they distrust. East of Havana picks at these politico-philosophical threads rather than pulling them, and the sense of a larger movement is fleeting. There's a beat, but we never quite see who's dancing to it. B-

Originally posted Feb 02, 2007 Published in issue #921 Feb 16, 2007 Order article reprints

Share
Comments
Add your comment

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.