Next Day Air is a blatant attempt to hop on the Pineapple Express bandwagon, even though that movie was essentially garbage. It’s also a wannabe Snatch and Smokin’ Aces, revolving around a group of people going after an object or person which affects everyone in an explosive ending. Not that I’m saying this will happen in Next Day Air, but it sure looks embarrassingly promising.
"Which gun do you wanna get shot by? One, two or three?" "Can I have option number four?"
Next Day Air follows Leo (Donald Faison, “Scrubs”) and Eric (Mos Def, Be Kind Rewind), two slack-off courier drivers who accidentally deliver a package to the wrong address. It’s delivered to two equally loser-like criminals Brody (Mike Epps, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins) and Guch (Wood Harris, “The Wire”). When they open the package, they realize it contains blocks of cocaine. Gee, I wonder what other movie involving two stoners with drugs features this plot element. Thinking they’ve made the big time, they decide to sell the coke to Brody’s dealer, Shavoo (Omari Hardwick, Miracle at St. Anna). During this time, mobster Jesus (Cisco Reyes, Feel the Noise) is aware that his cocaine package hasn’t arrived and goes out to look for it. Also having knowledge of the missing coke is drug lord Bodega, (Emilio Rivera, Street Kings) who sets out to retrieve it. With everyone bent on finding the cocaine, the consequences of every party involved could be violent. At least, we can only hope.
Benny Boom, a music video director who will make his feature film debut with this project, has directed some rap videos for the likes of 50 Cent, Nelly and Snoop Dogg. He will almost assuredly provide some “creative” directing since rap videos are “groundbreaking” pieces of art. Screenwriter Blair Cobbs will also make his debut, as he literally has done nothing before this. Couple him up with a “creative” director and you might get a good movie, but probably not.
Who decided golf bags made good shields?
It’s sad how many elements Next Day Air has borrowed from others before it. Not only does it take the same aspect from a movie that wasn’t good to begin with, but rips off movies that were good (Smokin’ Aces, Snatch). The acting doesn’t look half bad, but the story looks horrid. The only actors appearing to be any good in this are Mos Def and Donald Faison. I’m perplexed why Mos Def would be in this, since he’s been in some quality movies before and he certainly is one of the best rappers-turned-actors out there. Faison, I’m not surprised with because he has done comedy before, with “Scrubs.” Mike Epps is terrible and I’m sure the rest of the mediocre cast will not benefit from a weak director.
This film will probably suit the same people who paid for Soul Plane. Remember when Chris Rock ridiculed them at the Oscars? It was deserved.
Next Day Air opens May 8th.
