“Straight Outta Compton” is the dramatic story of the courageous young men who made up the N.W.A. Well, this is what the movie sets out to be, but it becomes so much more. The film is a commentary on police brutality and also an incredibly personable story of rap labels in the mid ‘80s and ‘90s.

The N.W.A was a rap and hip hop group that found fame from humble beginnings in Compton, California.  Although back in 1986 the original lineup was Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube, the film mostly follows the latter three and the rags-to-riches story of these young men.

Eazy goes from hustling drugs to throwing massive pool parties in his mansion.  Dr. Dre finds himself getting kicked out of the house and left by his girlfriend and child at the beginning of the film but in the end starts his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. Ice Cube starts the film with his bus getting stopped by gang bangers who threaten to kill a student but by the end he releases a top-selling album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, and writing/starring in the comedy film “Friday.”

The film has a lot of strong points throughout its two hour and 30 minute run time. One of the most apparent strengths in “Compton” is its cinematography. It helps engage viewers, especially during scenes that incorporate music, like scenes in the studio or on stage. The active camera movements and wide shots capture a lively energy. Graphics that describe characters or set pieces throughout the movie flow very well with the picture.

Casting was done well with actors who look almost identical to their real-life counterparts. The list of characters portrayed by the actors is packed with influential people from the industry, including Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, The D.O.C, Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Warren G and Tupac.

News segments included in the film help illustrate police brutality and racism, which are major themes in the film. As the characters grow and fix old problems while developing new ones, these themes remain consistent. That says something to the message of racism and police brutality toward minority groups — themes that can even be applied in today’s world.

The biggest issue I found with the movie was the way it ends. To avoid spoilers I won’t go into specific detail; however, I will say that the story almost feels as if it was cut short. Everyone in the group I went to the theater with expected the movie to continue after it ended. Instead, we were greeted with the credits.

One minor flaw is that the film has a few cheesy scenes. The worst offender of this takes place during the Rodney King riots of 1992 and depicts some of the characters driving through town witnessing the chaos around them. It sounds like a beautiful representation of a dangerous thing and in theory should’ve been one of the film’s high points.  Somewhere along the line, however, there was a disconnect.

Overall, the film (Rated R) was incredibly satisfying and put together with way more positive aspects than negative. The cinematography was great, the characters and story were fascinating, and the news segments illustrated a very real conflict that, to some extent, still exists today. I would definitely recommend “Straight Outta Compton,” which opened Aug. 14 and is still showing at RC theaters in Kill Devil Hills.

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