There's a lot to like about this film, and most of it doesn't involve the main plot or action scenes.
Sure, it's fun to see Queen Latifah kick a bunch of neo-Nazis' rear ends, but much of the violence in End of the Road feels gratuitous. There are also a whole bunch of loose ends that make the film's ending feel unbelievable.
One would like to hope the racism that the family encounters in the Southwest isn't as rampant as the film depicts (there are few redeemable White people), but Ludacris' line that being Black is the "next best thing" to being a criminal is uncomfortably aligned with current events.
What's really endearing in this film are the family dynamics -- the authentic ribbing between grown siblings, kids' sarcasm, parents' exasperation, and so on.
Latifah and Ludacris are exceptionally appealing actors. She makes the action scenes almost believable and shines in the more authentic interactions, and he puts in as convincing a performance as the script allows for as the ne'er-do-well big kid with aspirations to do right.
The film's mood is complemented by some great music (by the likes of Etta Bond and Alicia Keys) and filtered lighting that crafts a vintage feel.
Read the full review at Common Sense Media.
Images courtesy of Netflix.
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