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The movie, directed by Lauren Lazin, relies primarily on interviews Tupac gave throughout his short career, supplemented with some additional commentary from those who knew him best. Though he became a lightning rod of controversy due to both his criminal activities and his provocative (i.e. violent, sexist) lyrics, Tupac saw himself more as a 'voice of the people,' using his music as a vehicle for reaching out to and connecting with the downtrodden, impoverished blacks living in the kinds of ghettoes from which he himself sprang. What's most interesting about 'Tupac: Resurrection' is the dichotomy it establishes between the violence, drug use and criminal activities which played so prominent a part in Tupac's life, and the genial, reflective, almost apologetic tone of so much of what we hear him saying. It's hard to know just how much of what has found its way into this movie is really raw truth and how much is sugarcoated revisionism designed to 'resurrect' and burnish a man's posthumous image and reputation. His views on women come out particularly incoherent and unresolved. Yet, 'Tupac: Resurrection' is an intriguing documentary because it gives us a glimpse not only into a strangely conflicted individual but also into the even more bizarre world of corporate thuggery he inhabited. Like many artists who have attempted to speak for the 'little people,' Tupac became a victim of his own success and celebrity, living the kind of pampered lifestyle that most of the people he was singing about would clearly never know. It's a conflict as old as art itself, and it is one that Tupac, for understandable reasons, was never able to resolve in his own life. Interestingly, however, his brutal death at the hands of murderous rivals, demonstrated that he never made it quite so far from his roots as his lavish lifestyle might otherwise have suggested. As a document, the movie traces Tupac from his early years as the child of two Black Panther members ( a pedigree that, he believes, set him on the path to social crusader early on), through his youth in poverty, his exposure to literature and drama at a performing arts high school in Baltimore, his early attempts at performing, his meteoric rise in the music industry, his years as a controversial celebrity, his burgeoning movie career, his continuing battles with police, the first attempt on his life, his conviction for rape, his time in prison, and, finally, to the rivalry between his own West Coast label, Death Row Records, and the East Coast label, Bad Boy Records, which ultimately led to his untimely death. For that little bit of history alone, the movie is worth watching. I found Tupac to be both appealing and repellant, frightening and charismatic. The movie leaves the audience feeling as conflicted as the subject - which is what a truly successful documentary should do after all.Read full review
While I am a very big fan of 2pac, I will present this review based on the flm itself and not "what an AWESOME rapper" I think he is. I have noticed that pretty much every review has offered very little detail on the film. With the countless # of DVDs and other product floating around, is there really a need for another movie based on the life of Pac? Well, this film offers something that none of the others have before, and that is narration by Pac himself. Courtesy of old audio interviews and soundbytes, Pac tells the story of his life in a way that few others could. From his birth as the son of a Black Panther to his final days in Vegas, Pac goes into detail on it all. Though commentary on his fatal shooting is clearly that of his first shooting at a New York recording studio, there are still some very eerie moments here. He talks about his days on Death Row Records in the past tense even though he was there until the day he died, he predicts his own downfall many times, and speaks candidly on a number of subjects that will really surprise you. The inclusion of Pac's music is another thing that helps seperate this from a lot of the other documentaries on his life. To be able to hear him speak on some of his best and most controversial recordings while they play it in the background makes a huge difference. "Resurrection" really plays like a companion piece to one of Pac's albums. It provides all of the visuals to go with the stories that Pac tells in his complex rhymes. It isn't just a story about rap music though. We're not spending exhausting moments of time in the studio or on concert. This isn't about Pac the rapper. This film, much like the artist it depicts, is bigger than just its contributions to the world of rap music. The film spends most of its time examining the man himself. Going into depth about the controversy surrounding him. It gives him the microphone and allows him to fire back at the hypocritical politicians and Black leaders who try to dismiss his music as "gangsta rap" without even attempting to listen to the message behind it. It allows him to speak in great detail about the real horrors of the ghetto. He talks about his experience in prison and how it nearly destroyed him inside. He gives us his side of the story on his sexual assault conviction, his NY studio shooting, and the beef with Notorious BIG and Puffy. At times, "Resurrection" makes the mistake of pointing us away from things that don't show Pac in the best of light. Well, it isn't exactly a "fluff piece" but there were some details that seem conviently absent. There is a moment where Pac talks proudly about being happy to work with Dr. Dre on Death Row but the movie never makes any mention of their falling out after Dre's departure from Death Row. Pac's feud with Biggie is the only one that actually gets covered while there were several others that at least deserved an honorable mention. For those Pac fans who are still pondering whether this film is worth the price of admission given that you probably have seen or heard every interview and own every other DVD, it is. Granted there are likely interviews andsoundbytes from those other DVDs, it didn't ruin the film at all for me. Seeing this one film makes all of those other Pac documentaries seem like a waste of money. Pac's story finally gets the respect and attention that it deserves.Read full review
Well done and well thought out... verry moving... and educational...If your Tupac fan start to finish .. be prepared to be inspired all over again as his legacy lives and moves on ... It's one of those movies you can play over and over not get bored...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This was a really good movie.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Good quality, enjoyed watching it and have not had any problems with the DVD, would recommend
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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