Film #20 — 1/1 Film From a Black Director With a Black Lead; 7/9 Decades
By C. Ramsay
Distributed by Troma Entertainment and directed, produced, and written by James Bond III, who also stars, Def by Temptation is a small-scale production about a succubus who takes the form of a Black woman to seduce and kill Black men in New York City.
For an independent project this size, every component is well put together. Featuring an overall killer soundtrack, as well as gorgeously moody lighting and cinematography by Ernest Dickerson, frequent collaborator with Spike Lee, the atmosphere is pristine. The script is vibrant, with Bond’s writing creating a well-paced comedic tone that’s effortlessly carried through the film thanks to the acting done by himself, Kadeem Hardison, and Bill Nun. The viewer is able to learn a lot about each character after only a few lines of dialogue each, and anyone who isn’t simply a background actor therefore feels well-rounded and either relatable or identifiable in personality.
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