Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song 1971

Michael Kerbel, Village Voice: The first black director to break into commercial cinema, Van Peebles obviously feels deeply about black oppression. But he has chosen, paradoxically, to make the kinds of unrealistic films for which blacks have justly criticized white film-makers. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: Instead of dramatizing injustice, Van Peebles merchandizes it. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: A shrewd and powerful mix of commercial ingredients and ideological intent. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Totally uncompromising and grindingly repetitive, the film nevertheless accumulates a kind of hallucinatory groove, with unexpected shafts of bizarre humour and vigorous, experimental new wave direction. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Most of the many vignettes are absorbing in themselves, notably an encounter with a white motorcycle gang. Read more