One Spoon of Chocolate
The brief
RZA trades his usual Wu-Tang mysticism for gritty social thriller territory, crafting something that feels like "First Blood" meets "Get Out" in small-town Ohio. Shameik Moore brings genuine intensity as the wronged veteran forced into vigilante mode, while Blair Underwood chews scenery as the corrupt sheriff with a body count. The pacing builds methodically before exploding into RZA's signature bone-crunching action sequences, though the horror elements land harder than the martial arts flourishes. Perfect for anyone who dug "They Cloned Tyrone" or wished blaxploitation revenge flicks had more teeth.
The verdict
If you're craving a gritty social thriller that mixes blaxploitation revenge with horror-tinged action and don't mind RZA's unpolished but committed directorial style, this delivers genuine intensity and bone-crunching payoffs. If you need tight pacing throughout or expect Marvel-level production values, the methodical buildup and B-movie rough edges will test your patience.
Watch with
- 👥 Action thriller fans and social commentary enthusiasts
- ⚠️ Those sensitive to racial violence should approach carefully
Heads up
- Racist violence and hate crimes (frequent)
- Graphic fight sequences and brutal action (moderate)
- Missing persons and implied murder (moderate)
- Police corruption and abuse of power (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- RZA
- Cast
- Shameik Moore, Blair Underwood, RJ Cyler, Paris Jackson, Emyri Crutchfield, Michael Harney, Harry Goodwins
Official synopsis
After serving his country in the Army, Unique is falsely accused of assault and sent to prison. Once released, Unique sets up shop in Ohio to restart his life, linking up with his only surviving relative, Ramsey. There’s something insidious happening in this town, though, as its racist sheriff and his crew of similarly bigoted acolytes all have a knack for violence and share a gruesome secret pertaining to a recent string of missing young Black men. When they set their sights on Unique and turn his life upside down, the former soldier has no choice but to bring the ruckus down on the sheriff and his goons.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with In the Grey (2026)
Both feature ex-military protagonists confronting corrupt systems in hostile territories.
Total runtime: 1h 52m + 1h 38m = 3h 30m
