WATCH: The First Trailer for Spike Lee's 'Chi-Raq'
The Spike Lee film that pissed off Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel will hit the big screen soon—and the just-dropped first trailer is a sight to behold.
Premiered via Amazon Studios, which will release "Chi-Raq" in theaters on December 4 before offering it on Amazon Instant Video, the trailer prominently features Samuel L. Jackson as the film's narrator. Based on the Greek comedy "Lysistrata," the film stars Teyonah Parris as a woman (also named "Lysistrata") who mobilizes other women on Chicago's South Side to withold sex from their male partners to stop rampant gang violence. The film draws on Chicago's real-life spike in gang-related murders—the same violence that lead to the city being dubbed "Chi-Raq."
The trailer has already drawn a range of reactions, from enthusiasm about the film's direction and themes to anger at its handling of a very real crisis Chicago:
I have no thoughts on #Chiraq. I don't know what the hell I just watched. The trailer gave me Pootie Tang meets Hustle & Flow.
— ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀ (@callmedollar) November 3, 2015I think people were expecting a Chicago documentary on gang violence. Nah man. This just happens to be set in Chicago. #Chiraq
— Sebastian Spencer (@Sebastian4Reel) November 4, 2015I asked my students if they want to go on a field trip to see #Chiraq. They said they'd only go if we protest & disrupt it. #VLAStyle
— Page May (@may20p) November 4, 2015The #Chiraq trailer just made me QUEASY. it feels SO CHEAP. #TyshawnLee was murdered yesterday. He was 9. Is that a joke? Is that clever?
— wikipedia brown (@eveewing) November 4, 2015
Besides Parris and Jackson, the film also stars Nick Cannon, Angela Bassett, Dave Chappelle, Jennifer Hudson and John Cusack. Check out the trailer above.
(H/t Variety)