More Americans are murdered annually in Chicago than died in the Iraq War, and most are black males. As rap-star Chi-Raq (Cannon) fuels his turf war with Cyclops (Snipes), a child is killed on the street. And Chi-Raq's smart-hot girlfriend Lysistrata (Parris) has finally had enough. Her straight-talking neighbour Helen (Bassett) suggests that the only way to change people is to take away something they love. So Lysistrata leads the women, including Cyclops' girlfriend (Mitchenor), to withhold sex until their men "bring the peace". As they stand-off against the men, their protest spreads globally.

Narrated with a flourish by Dolmedes (Jackson), the clever script is a rapid-fire barrage of text messages and gunfire, as Trojans take on the Spartans in Troy Town. The film also weaves in current events like the story of Leymah Gbowee, who helped end Liberia's civil war by leading a sex strike. And there's a strong current of slapstick comedy as the men flail to break the strike. Through all of this, Lee maintains a deeply personal approach, centring on the pain women experience due to callous masculine violence.

Parris is a force of nature at the centre, charismatically unleashing a revolution. And there's strong support from high-power costars like Bassett and Hudson (wrenching as a woman who loses a child). Opposite them, the men are much more comical as they arrogantly try to stand up against the power of these unbreakable women. They're strongly played by the sharp cast, including the more cartoonish characters like the overconfident police commissioner (Lennix) or a racist general (Kelly).

Chicago has always been a gangster town, but this feels like a war zone that the American government is ignoring. The film touches on a variety of causes and solutions, even if the discussion is a little superficial. Still, it's a strong plea for sense, for people in the middle of this situation to understand that they don't have to live like this. And that if you have any power at all, "you go and do it!"

themes, language, violence, sexuality, drugs

25.Oct.16