There's a New Critic in Town
Higher Learning, directed by John Singleton, starts off by showing all the things you imagine when you think of college. From frat parties, late night studies, and athletics, it’s all there. The main characters get introduced one by one including the typical jock, Malik (Omar Epps), the naive freshman, Kristin (Kristy Swanson), and the social outcast, Remy, (Michael Rapaport). The movie also has supporting characters played by well known actors such as Ice Cube, Tyra Banks, and Laurence Fishburne.
The setting, a made-up college called Columbus University, is the home of racism, violence, sex, drugs, and a little bit of education. Each student is tied together in a big web of controversy and issues. It starts with Kristin who learns the hard way that not everyone is as friendly as they seem. She loses control at a party and ends up becoming a rape victim. Malik, the track star, struggles balancing school and athletics along with the racial segregation going on around him. Remy, the troubled and socially awkward student, cannot seem to fit in with anyone he interacts with. However, this all changes when he is approached by a group of neo-Nazis who take over his mind.
A good college movie consists of self discovery, emotional complexity, flow, and a meaningful theme. Higher Learning demonstrates self discovery through each character in different ways. Kristin realizes that she wants to do good for herself, her school, and community. Malik comes to understand that he should want to learn, not force himself to. A problem many college students come to realize. On the other hand, Remy conforms to those around him and cannot find himself through his college experience. Anyone can connect to the characters and their problems. There are many emotional parts to this movie, but there are also funny and happy times mixed in. This keeps the movie watchable and lightens the mood. The flow of the movie is scattered and there are many powerful scenes packed into the film. It starts out seeming like a generic movie about a girl who faces problems in college, turns into a racial battle, then into outright chaos. There is so much thrown at you during this movie, that it doesn’t flow well. The most important thing for a movie is the theme. This movie has a good theme and powerful messages. The movie’s goal is to show racism and violence and how they are relevant to a community.
Although Higher Learning shoves the audience with powerful and dramatic scenes, the “big picture” can connect to many. It also has self-discovery and emotional complexity improving its watchability. While watching the movie, I was engaged in it the entire time; it was not boring. Higher Learning is for anyone who wants an poignant movie with intense conflicts. Prepare yourself for the emotional rollercoaster!
