Scacco al re nero

but it can't be.

It's just not that good. The writing is substandard. And the one thing that stands out is the weepy jazz soundtrack that is intrusive and annoying.

The basic plot, how the black drug runners in the ghetto relate to each other and to the Mob, not a bad idea. And the idea that Wesley Snipes gets sick of the whole thing and wants more from life. Not bad. In fact, Snipes is pretty good in the role. Almost everyone else is pretty awful.

It's interesting how lacking in interesting this movie is. Not much seems to happen except once in a while a gun goes off.

I think "New Jack City" is likely a better call, not nearly as stylish, nor as pretentious, but more solid as a story.