VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

robbieturner-3 I watched the gun fight scene and wanted so badly to shoot myself. Unless this drug king pin hires the most retarded and inept hired guns in the world what kind of retards shoot randomly into a house. Even dumber than that is the main character's family, first the little brother crying "mommy, mommy" in the middle of a gun fight, someone should have knocked that kid out for his own good. The main character missing an open shot on two man sized targets at 20 ft, I thought you had to try to shoot that poorly. Then the mom, "Rawr" raging mother kills two career criminals in a fit of rage. I've never seen a less believable and horribly shot gun fight in my life.

freakfire-1 I was actually surprised that this was fairly good. It wasn't "good" or "excellent", but it is OK enough to enjoy at some points. Not only that, but it has a storyline that has a nice touch near the end.The film begins in mid 80s New York, with Wilson and several drug gangsters. He has a knocked up woman and money set aside. But then things get tricky and he winds up dead. The viewer is left wondering "why?".Thats when it goes to 2007. The child being carried is grown up, has his own woman, but he doesn't know who his father was. Events turn the college student into a man chasing down the past. Eventually things get settled in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. There young Wilson Jr. discovers his father's secret past and why things are they way they are.Without ruining why, the plot twist at the end explains one scene that didn't make sense at the beginning. So that was well done. However, some of the characters didn't exactly fit the bill, especially in the scenes outside New York and Connecticut. Plus, the music was all wrong for much of the film.Some people question "Ana"(Daina Ramirez), the girlfriend of Wilson Jr. She stays with him through the film, but she is seemingly the stereotypical 'damsel'. However, there are many women like that who are soft hearted so I don't have doubts about the character.With everything said, I think the film is moderately good. So have a look and try it out. Its nothing special, but its good enough to draw your attention. "B-"

C. Sean Currie (hypestyle) Franc. Reyes writes & directs, produced by John Singleton.The two men craft an excellent "urban thriller" focusing on Latino protagonists.The film starts off with a flashback prologue, where a pregnant young woman is ready to tell her husband about the legal investments she's made with the money he has made from working for a drug dealer. That same night, her husband is called away to meet his boss to make a 'final payment' and announce his retirement-- however, his boss has other plans-- and he is brutally murdered-- the hit squad also comes after the young woman, but she escapes with help from friends.20 years later, Rick Gonzalez ("Biker Boyz", "Coach Carter") plays Wilson De Leon Jr., a college student who is a whiz at mathematics. Wanda De Jesus is Millie, Wilson's mother, who is somewhat estranged from Wilson as of late; Wilson dearly loves his mom, and his 10 year old half-brother. But he's extremely skeptical about his mom's dating life, and it's driving a wedge between them. Besides his little bro, the other comfort in Wilson's life is his girlfriend Ana (Dania Ramirez).Apparently, even the Witness Protection Program turned Ana down, and she was forced to move from place to place throughout Wilson Jr.'s youth; the money from the investments have provided them with financial comfort, but Ana is always looking over her shoulder-- the reason why comes to a head when a chance encounter with an old neighborhood acquaintance marks her, and a new team of assassins are sent to kill her-- and whoever else is in her family.Wilson Jr. clumsily fends them off, and then confronts his mother, who grudgingly tells him the truth about their circumstances. This sets into motion a chain of events where Wilson begins to abandon his life of privilege and try to survive in the ghettos of Puerto Rico, where the Mob boss now lives. Wilson's intention is to broker a truce, but this just makes things worse, leading to several violent further confrontations. There is a surprise twist as to the motivations of the gangster, which makes the climax more stunning.Reggaeton performer Tego Calderón plays Choco, an enforcer for the gangster that is looking for Wilson's family.This is an excellent film for those who appreciate crime drama and urban films with an ethnic cast. The filming of Puerto Rico looks wonderful, showcasing the night life there.

kkheggs This movie was entertaining, but the acting was horrible. I expected way better work from John Singleton and from actors like Wanda DeJesus, Dania Ramirez and Rick Gonzalez. There were so many holes in the plot that dramatic scenes were turned into slapstick comedy. There were also many anachronisms (a bodega scene in 1985 featured candy and snacks with 2007 packaging) and continuity errors (Wilson's little brother bruised his face after falling off his bike; the bruise was healed later that day. Wilson grew up speaking English, but managed to speak fluent Spanish once he arrived in Puerto Rico). I did like the music in the film, though, and I'll probably buy the soundtrack. I think I understand the vision that John Singleton may have had in making this film, but unfortunately he used a formula that was successful in the '90s and it doesn't work for Illegal Tender.