"CARMEN: A HIP HOPERA" thrusts BEYONCE way out there in the somewhat tailor-made, classically seductive role most prominently tackled by DOROTHY DANDRIDGE almost 50 years before! While Beyonce effortlessly pulls off the visual aspect of the man-baiting Carmen, her dramatic emoting---at this early stage of her thespian career---is pretty weak! Fortunately, she is backed by strong actors (MEKHI PHIFER, MOS DEF, TROY WINBUSH, REAGAN GOMEZ-PRESTON) who give solid performances! Phifer is good (as usual) as a principled cop who gives up those principles to experience a lifetime of passion with Carmen, Mos Def makes a quietly menacing villain, Winbush is solid as the supportive, but ultimately corrupted, cop friend who betrays Phifer in the end, and the beauteous Gomez-Preston (who played "CARMEN" director ROBERT TOWNSEND's daughter in TV's "THE PARENT 'HOOD") is especially memorable as Phifer's betrayed ex-love! "CARMEN"---despite its limitations---is a lot of fun to watch!
Review of Carmen: A Hip Hopera
