Turn It Up is a hip-hop downer that makes the high-risk high-life of contempo gangstas seem glumly routine.

Full Review | Jun 6, 2008

Surprisingly, for a movie about music, the sound is lousy. Some of the songs sound distorted because they have so much bass. In other moments, the dialogue is so low, it's hard to understand what the characters are saying.

Full Review | Mar 5, 2007

It's a formulaic street-crime thriller with a message, and if Turn It Up doesn't bring much new to the genre, it serves it reliably.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

Eventually Turn It Up deteriorates into a gory shoot-'em-up gangster movie with a quick-fix ending that leaves many threads dangling. It could have been something more.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jan 1, 2000

The staging and performances are awkward, the frequent shoot-outs a snore, and there's no reprise of Ghetto Supastar.

| Jan 1, 2000

In his first acting job, Ja Rule reveals a magnetic presence, smoldering with rage and eroticism.

| Jan 1, 2000

Merely a slickly rehashed copy of scenes from better movies, with a bit of flash but no real truth or heart.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Jan 1, 2000

It has action and violence, to be sure, but it may prove considerably more serious and uncompromising than its audience expected.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 1, 2000

Pras and Rule look good, and handle their guns smoothly in the movie's elaborate shootouts, but there's nothing in their eyes, no spark or passion.

| Original Score: 1/4 | Jan 1, 2000

What's pathetic is that Turn It Up halfway wants its hero to serve as a role model, but neither the hero nor the movie is prepared to walk the walk.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Turn It Up is just a well-intentioned, second-rate indie film that should never have gotten widespread distribution.

| Jan 1, 2000

Turn It Up is definitive modern cinematic eye-candy with all the connotations of empty calories that term implies.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 1, 2000

The film uses every standard urban drama story line in the book.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

Highly derivative.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

As both writer and director, Adetuyi doesn't bother bringing any emotional or psychological twists or nuances to these familiar character types; he gives them no depth whatsoever.

Full Review | Jan 1, 2000

As soon as an idea worth pursuing pops up, the plot shoots it down in a literal hail of bullets.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jan 1, 2000