We sat down with RJ Cyler to discuss his new film, 'One Spoon of Chocolate,' and he encourages audiences to "get a little dangerous"
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
Reel Perspectives
May 4, 2026
One Spoon of Chocolate, the new film produced by Quentin Tarantino, doesn't just pay homage to Blaxploitation, it reshapes it with a modern pulse, a sharper edge, and a surprising amount of emotional depth, raging against the injustices of racism. What could have easily been a nostalgic throwback instead becomes a bold reimagining, blending the grit and swagger of the 1970s with contemporary anxieties about justice.
The film follows Shameik Moore's Unique, a veteran and ex-convict seeking a fresh start in a small town. After an altercation with a gang of locals, he starts to suspect they may have something to do with the disappearance of young men in the area - including his cousin. His character feels like a direct descendant of classic Blaxploitation heroes: men who operate outside the law because the law has already failed them. But Moore adds a vulnerability that gives Unique dimension beyond the archetype. He's not just a lone wolf out for revenge as the film leans into stylized violence and heightened reality.
The DNA of Blaxploitation is everywhere: the defiant attitude, the morally corrupt institutions, the explosive confrontations, the overt racism in a sundown town where the film takes place. Yet it never feels dated. Instead, Writer and director RZA (leader of hip-hop's one and only Wu-Tang Clan) injects the genre with new energy through kinetic action sequences, a pulsing soundtrack, and a satirical bite that cuts deeper than expected. The small town setting becomes a pressure cooker of paranoia and hidden cruelty, turning what initially seems like a quiet backdrop into something far more sinister.
The supporting cast includes Blair Underwood, Paris Jackson, Emyri Crutchfield, Michael Harney, Harry Goodwins, and RJ Cyler, who quietly steals every scene he's in and ultimately becomes the film's emotional backbone.
Reel Perspectives sat down with Cyler, who expressed his enthusiasm for the project after reading the script. He emphasized his passion for analyzing scripts from an audience perspective, noting that, even as an actor, he remains a consumer who wants the story to resonate with people's experiences. From discussing his collaboration with RZA, whom he has followed closely throughout his career, to expounding on his character in the film, Cyler encourages audiences to never allow their environment to limit the power within themselves, even suggesting that sometimes it might be necessary to get "a little dangerous" to enact change.
One Spoon of Chocolate pulses with the spirit of Blaxploitation, making it one of the most compelling modern watches today. RZA uses the genre's stylized framework to explore very real, current issues, making the film feel both nostalgic and urgently relevant.
Visually, the film embraces excess in all the right ways, especially in the last act, with bold framing, striking color palettes, and moments of explosive catharsis that honor the rebellious spirit of Blaxploitation while pushing it forward, delivering a highly entertaining film.
One Spoon of Chocolate is now playing in theaters.
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