Overrated

Crappy film

The acting in this movie is really good.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The music, the editing, the characters! This entertaining documentary shows there is a street art scene in Asia. Everyone thinks Asian people are orderly and it's refreshing to see a documentary that explores the richness of the cultures and how connected we are with art. The music is great, the artists are fascinating people who have great stories. I especially loved the characters in Singapore who talk about the criminal consequences because I never knew anyone would dare commit that crime there after the Michael Fay case! So scary! They are either really stupid or really brave. Either way they are determined to share their ideas!

Bomb It 2 starts off where Bomb It left off. Instead of looking at the history of graffiti like in the original (I recommend that you watch them in order), BI2 dives head first into what artists are doing now. Director Jon Reiss traveled across six continents (rumor is Antarctica will be in BI3?) documenting different styles of graffiti art from around the world. In some places, like Palestine, street art is a means to free speech with possible deadly consequences for the artists! The artists in this movie advocate free speech and thought, a message that I totally support. Because BI2 skips the history lesson (although some of the artists talk about the history in their regions), there are way more artist spotlights and locations than the original. In that sense, this sequel has a faster pace than the first. But if you've seen both, it's a natural progression for the series. I recommend you check it out!

So many filmmakers make a great movie and then try to make a follow up and fail. Reiss made a great movie in Bomb It and then followed it up with an equally impressive film. Bomb It 2 continues the exploration of graffiti in public space, but delves deeper into the plight of the artists themselves all while taking the viewer to locations that get little attention from the art world in general. In some places, writing is the only way that political statements can be made. In others, it's a matter of beautifying spaces - with the communities consent. A lot of time these works of art are commissioned. I've never been a proponent of graffiti, but Bomb It and Bomb It 2 do not condone or condemn, they just document, which is what you want in a documentary. Kudos! Whether you've seen Bomb It (I recommend seeing it!) or not, Bomb It 2 is an interesting and entertaining movie and makes you want to get up!

Jon Reiss is back at it with a follow-up to Bomb It, his hugely successful indie doc. Bomb It 2 finds Reiss exploring new territory -- indigenous street art scenes around the globe, from the streets of Singapore (interesting, considering that chewing gum is actually illegal there -- hard to imagine what the authorities would do to a graffiti artist) to Palestinian refugee camps on the West Bank. If you liked the first film, you'll love this one, too. A great insight into a world of artists who often keep their identities hidden, while making their art in the most public places possible. Reiss shot this as a one-man crew, no small feat considering the many challenges involved.