SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Pluskylang Great Film overall

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Leofwine_draca THE BARON is a low budget and somewhat grainy addition to the blaxploitation genre featuring a leading role for actor Calvin Lockhart (someone I best know for his turn in THE BEAST MUST DIE as well as his bit part in PREDATOR 2). It's rather a forgotten and inconsequential film, containing as it does not much in the way of action but instead focusing on the intricacies of the plotting.The story sees Lockhart's character attempting to make his own blaxploitation movie, but turning to a mobster loan shark when he runs out of funds. Various bad guys then pursue him, chief of whom is the excellent Richard Lynch, here displaying all of his trademark sliminess and villainy even at this early stage of his career. Lockhart has more charisma than muscle, but the bits with Lynch are a hoot as he steals every scene, and that bit in the restaurant is great.

Wizard-8 This one's a real surprise. First of all, the movie takes itself far more seriously than other black-themed movies of the period. That's not to say there aren't any laughs, though they do come from a few unintentionally funny moments. The other way the movie goes wrong is in the climax, which is unbelievably flat and short. Otherwise, the movie is surprisingly solid. The whole movie-making portion of the movie touch on the true difficulties of making independent movies. (The movie-within-the-movie looks intriguing, and I would have loved to have seen it done feature length!) The characters are an interesting bunch as well. The "hero" of the movie isn't completely likeable, and his quest to achieve his goal regardless of the fact those near to him get hurt makes him a real atypical lead. Though the biggest kudos goes to Richard Lynch, who gives one of the best performances in his career as the mobster who pursues our hero and the guy who gave him money. He's also in the two best scenes in the movie (the piano-playing bit, the subsequent restaurant scene) - two *fantastic* scenes. The movie is worth renting (if you can find it) for those two scenes alone.

John Seal Calvin Lockhart is The Baron, a struggling African-American filmmaker trying to get his big break. He gets mixed up with some dirty money and ends up confronting the usual mafia guys trying to keep a brutha down. They're a particularly nasty lot in this one, especially the racist, misogynistic, and homophobic Joey, played here flamboyantly by exploitation regular Richard Lynch. The film is a reasonably enjoyable blend of action and social commentary, and features a terrific score by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson. Joan Blondell, Raymond St. Jacques, and Marlene Clark are all wasted or underutilised, but Lockhart is good (as usual), even when burdened with some truly horrible 70s fashions.

melissa The Baron puts a unique spin on the typical 70s Blaxploitation shoot-em-up flick. Calvin Lockheart (who you may remember as a guest star on Good Times playing Florida's gambling cousin Raymond), plays an aspiring movie actor/producer/filmmaker who must turn to the underworld (and becoming some old lady's "Hot Dog") in order to raise money to make his film. And he must pay back his investors before someone gets hurt.What Lockheart lacks in brawn (which seemed to be required for male leads in 70s black cinema -- i.e. Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, etc.), he makes up in character and charm as he "battles" the gangsters in order to give life on screen to "The Baron." And while there are fewer "battles" than a typical Blaxploitation action movie (This film is more drama than action.), the ones that are shown are even more convincing since they're not the usual quick-n-dirty gun battles that we Blaxploitation fans have seen over and over.Plenty of suspense, exciting action, good editing, solid acting, interesting storyline, and a groovy soundtrack by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson make _The Baron_ a great rental choice when you're looking for some cool 70s black cinema. Especially if you're looking for something different from the same ole shoot 'em up/karate chop Blaxploitation film.