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I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

"White Man's Burden" is the title of a Rudyard Kipling writing that seems to fit this tense racial drama well. This fable takes place in an alternate society where racial stereotypes of blacks and whites are reversed. It is weird seeing the nice suburban neighborhoods inhabited by blacks and the projects inhabited by whites. Writer and director Desmond Nakano decides to use this interesting setting as the backdrop to a hostage piece instead of really taking advantage of a controversial and divided subject. This movie came out in 1995, years after more radical race films such as 'Do The Right Thing' and 'Mississippi Burning' were released. In the world of cinema, actually in life altogether, you must take risks. 'White Man's Burden' done better would not have been that big a risk.The movie opens with musical legend Harry Belefonte having dinner with his family in his luxurious manor. He is proud of his wealth and thinks whites deserve most of the crap life throws at them. We then get a look at the life of John Travolta and his family. He is one of the hardest workers in the local chocolate factory and is ready for a promotion. They can barely afford anything. They are facing a possible eviction, so he needs some more money fast. One day, Travolta volunteers to drop off a package at Belefonte's house, as he is the owner of the factory. He admires his superior's house, but an open window in the master bedroom has Belefonte thinking he is a peeping Tom. Belefonte asks the manager for another delivery man next time, but the manager goes farther and decides to fire him. When Travolta and his family does get evicted, he kidnaps Belefonte in hopes of getting the money and justice he deserves.Once the hostage aspect comes into place, the movie turns into cliched and predictable movie. But it is perhaps the way the Travolta character that lowers the value of the duo. His low class accent is annoying and he's pretty dumb. The only reason we sympathize with him is because we have seen his struggles. We get that he wants his name to be cleared and the money he needs, so why doesn't he just try to get it done? Throughout the escapades between the two, it just seems that Travolta just enjoyed pushing Belefonte around. Maybe the feeling of superiority is a factor, but so is his initial reason for the kidnaping. He's so dumb it's almost comical. 'White Man's Burden' also suffers the cliche of making both races either all good or all bad. All blacks are elegant and all whites are trash that jump people for fun. Obviously there's more to the two leads, but doing this to some of the others would have made the movie stronger. Both of them develop a respect for one another, miraculously that is. This was supposed to be an eye-opener for bigots. But this is such an oversimplification of a major issue that you can't help but laugh. If the movie focused more on the race issue and less on the hostage-holding, the overall quality would have been a much richer experience.

I think it's important to point out that, in the tease on the back of the DVD box, this movie is described as taking place in a "time" (not in a "world", or in a "society", or in an "alternate reality") where the traditional racial roles have been reversed. In other words, what some have described as "reverse racism", I think, qualifies more as a cautionary tale for the future. Look around you. How many aspects of this "alternate reality" have come/are coming to pass? Granted, other races/ethnicities have been left out (certainly, the decade-later "Crash" covered these issues in a more well-rounded way, without the extremes of "WMB"'s creative twist), but this movie seemed to be focused on a specific slice of the topic, which, although it's technically less realistic, gives it a more concentrated impact to those who can relate to what happens in the story (&/or its setting).

This film is set in a rare alternative world where the African-Americans have all the power and health. The priors live into luxurious residences and white men live in slums, inner city ghettos and with high poverty-level. A Caucasian blue-collar named Louis Pinnock(John Travolta)working in a chocolate factory is fired by his boss(Tom Wright) due to a misunderstanding.While he was delivering a package for Thaddeus Thomas(Harry Belafonte), he's mistaken accused as voyeur his wife(Margaret Avery). Meanwhile, he's beaten by policeman(Michael Beach) and skinheads, furthermore, his family, wife(Kelly Lynch) and sons are evicted from their house. Driven by desperation, Pinnock takes a gun and kidnaps wealthy Thaddeus, asking justice . Louis is justly helped by an old vagabond(Tom Bower).The movie gets a politics critical about reversed stereotypes with anti-racism parable. Gimmicky plot is proceeded with slickness and intelligence. The original premise makes a real impact, adding the excellent acting by two main actors and magnificent secondary cast. John Travolta is top-notch as desperate worker driven by anger,demanding justice and extraordinary Harry Belafonte as cocky member of social elite. Supporting cast is frankly awesome, Kelly Lynch as affectionate wife, Tom Wright as bigoted chief, besides, Margaret Avery, Tom Bower, Carrie Snodgress,Sheryl Lee Ralph, among others. The picture displays atmospheric cinematography by Kurant and appropriate soundtrack by Howard Shore(Lord of Rings,The aviator),usual David Cronemberg's musician. The flick is well produced by Laurence Bender(Reservoir dogs,Pulp fiction). The motion picture is professionally directed by Desmond Nakano, a prestigious screenwriter. However failed in the Box-office and Nakano only directed another picture titled American pastime and again with no success.

Nakano's film delivers little subtlety, and even less originality than many seem to give it credit for. The one-note premise never develops into anything other than that and leaves the actors floundering in a movie that would have made a competent short, but not a feature. The performances are all passable, but the story loses credibility and goes nowhere, taking a long time to get there. Despite the writer's best efforts some of the scenes seem to reinforce rather than break down some racial stereotypes, and it's really not that shocking to see Travolta as a down-trodden white guy because they actually do exist - as do rich black guys (ask Harry Belafonte if you don't believe me!).