'Shottas' is a film showcasing the Jamaican take on mafias and the seedy underworld involving drugs, sex and international organized crime. The film heavily features violence, hyper-masculinity, the objectification of women and child violence. But are these just what to expect once you come from the ghetto and was exposed to the life at a tender age?
Despite the R-rating for its gruesome and explicit portrayals, some viewers will have a biographical relationship to the film as it may seem familiar to the Jamaica they know. The other side of Jamaica and foreign viewers will experience a narrative relationship however as we see the story of childhood friends Biggs and Wayne descent into crime. It could be argued that their decision to rob and shoot the truck driver was due to their dependent relationship on the ghetto they called home, as their economic status led them to being like their friend Sando.
Kingston is showcased as a breeding ground for ‘rude bwoys’ who grew up in the many ghettos and dream of living lavish. Film watchers witness Biggs and Wayne growing up in the ghetto and becoming the very rude bwoys they aspired to be. The pair has expanded their crime network to Miami, all to be at the very top of the hierarchy. This is the basis of their commodified relationship to Miami as they seized the opportunity to live a richer lifestyle.
Similar to 'After All' - Alkaline, the Jamaican rude bwoys and dons rely on and extort politicians and corporate big wigs for protection money and other services. In 'Shottas', the main trio extort business owners and politicians, stacking their funds to expand their empire outside of Jamaica. Shottas received much backlash following its release for its glorification of the ghetto to crime pipeline. Critics drew parallels to how many males are eager to become criminals yet knowing their consequences could be death, and they will never enjoy their spoils. Just like in 'The Harder They Come' when Ivan dies and could not enjoy the success of his record, everyone but Biggs is eventually killed.
Watch 'Shottas' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arX2RAL2_Ck
Source cited:
Smith, Craig. 2004. “Deconstructing Patriarchal Masculinities in Cess Silvera’s Shottas.” Journal of West Indian Literature.
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