NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

LeonLouisRicci This is a Difficult Film to Review. The History of the Movie is Ripe with Cuts, More Cuts, and Cut Some More.There are Different Versions Floating around out there as this First Jamaican Feature Film has been "Loved To Death" by Reggae Music Enthusiasts, but the Movie has been Exploited by Home Distributors and given the "Bum's Rush" and Little Respect.It's Probably Worth a Watch in any Version, but Subtitles are Must. The Rastafarian Slang and Heavy Jamaican Accents are Thick and Elusive.It's a Standard Gangster Movie on the Surface, Loosely Based on a Real Life "Ivan". The Template of the Film is Raw but Beautiful, as is the Montage and the Acting.It Unapologetic-ally Films the Poverty and Squalor of Jamaica's Poor and has a Pro-Left, Liberal Agenda. Especially Concerning Political and Police Corruption.The Soundtrack that gets all the Ink is a Mixed Bag. The Music and Artist Selection is Seminal and Flawlessly Showcases Early Reggae's Biggest Influences. "The Harder They Come Soundtrack" is one of the Best Soundtracks Ever and for Anyone Interested in Reggae Music it's a Must Have.In the Movie, however, a lot of the Songs are Sparse, and some only get a Few Lines in the Background (owning the Soundtrack will eliminate this shortcoming). The Title Tune by Jimmy Cliff (who also Stars) is Overly-Used with others getting the Short End.Overall, the Amateur Acting Adds to the Gritty Feel of the Film and Director Perry Henzell Shows some Artistic Chops that makes the Movie a very Real Surreal Treat.Note...The Jamaican Government at the time of filming interfered at every level to stop the Movie from being Produced and Released. It's anti-establishment message and unfettered look at Jamaica was something that was not welcome. The Tourist Trade Ruled, and Reggae, Rastafarians, Rude Boys and Ganja were ignored at best and persecuted at worst.

atunik I saw this movie in the theater, shortly after its release. This is still a good movie with a great seminal reggae soundtrack, but the original revolutionary message of the movie has been hacked out and distorted, and the hero has been turned into an unsympathetic criminal. Scenes are missing and some altered, and the feeling of the film has gone from Robin Hood (protector of the poor and driven to violence by severe oppression) to Bonnie and Clyde (natural born criminals with no regard for human life). It has also been sanitized of some drug-positive content (note that there is a religious sanctity to marijuana in Jamaica, and this alteration is therefore especially offensive - how would you feel if a movie tangentially about Catholicism substituted milk for wine in the Eucharist, or refused to show the ritual at all?).I am appalled.

Pretentious_crap I rented this film off of Netflix. I know I'd watch this movie again and again. This film as others have stated isn't for everyone, it's very low-budget; however for me it made it more honest through its grittiness. I couldn't take this film as seriously as it's about an impoverished character if it were done on a large budget, chocked full of stunt-work and explosions. To be fair I think they managed this production on such a budget quite well. Another thing you'd have to be into Reggae music, and know a few things about Jamaican or Caribbean Culture to appreciate it. Also, don't expect a really complex story-line. It's a typical plot about a character who faces struggles to try to make it in whatever they want to do.Our Folk-Anti-Hero, Ivan (Jimmy Cliff) is believable as the naive country-boy-turned-sharp-rude-boy, who went to the city to get a shot in show-biz. He basically just wants to have control over his own destiny, but people stand in his way-- from an overbearing preacher, to omnipotent record producers, to gangsters demanding protection fees, to corrupt policemen wanting their cut. As stated in other reviews, Ivan gets cheated on a record-deal, and is forced to sell ganja to survive (as no place will hire him, because they don't want to train workers), after awhile he gets sick of paying these protection fees to gangsters. So Jose the mob boss rats him out and sends cops after him; Ivan kills them, and he's ultimately left on the run. To stick his tongue out at the cops, he paints on the city walls messages such as "I was here". It's understandable why citizens would also paint all over the walls "I'm Everywhere" and harbor him, because they know whats up, and they are fed up. Meanwhile the record execs brush the dust off his record, to make some profits off of his "bad-ass" image and the public's sympathy for Ivan. The record execs tell the cops "before they kill him, get him into the recording studio first...". Though Ivan is heroic not with any collectivistic deeds, but as a symbol of standing-up for himself. By doing so he throws off the facade of the rulers of society and shows how dishonest they really are.This movie asks a question: Who really has disregard for human-life; Ivan the cop-killer or the media making profits off of the carnage?

Bucs1960 Back in the day it seemed that everybody had the soundtrack to this film but very few had seen it. As years went on, THTC begin to gain a cult status and became more readily available. It is probably one of the few movies with spoken English that is sub-titled. The patois which was created by the Rastafarians to replace Jamaican English (considered the language of slaves) is very difficult to understand, so the sub-titled version is recommended.The film stars the dynamic Jimmy Cliff as the "rude boy" Ivan who gets on the wrong side of a record producer who only wants to pay him a pittance for the song he has recorded. Things go from bad to worse and Ivan kills a cop, among others. Then the song becomes a hit and Ivan becomes a folk hero, running from the police. The ending is a little bit of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" as Ivan faces down his many pursuers for one last shoot out.This is not the Jamaica that we see in travel brochures but the real thing......poverty stricken and unlovely; however it has a terrible beauty of its own. Of course, the music is something you dream about, if you are a lover of reggae, ska and rocksteady. Nobody does it like Jimmy Cliff. He is simply phenomenal. Don't miss it!!!