credit: 8 Mile
An 8 Mile sequel was never up for discussion, or at least that’s how Mekhi Phifer, aka Future, sees it. The movie, which follows the life of B-Rabbit, portrayed by rapper Eminem, came out in 2002 as a drama/musical. B-Rabbit was an aspiring rapper that sought to perform at an underground event that was utterly ruthless.
The rap battles were raw and unfiltered, and the feeling was the Rabbit’s life had come close to rock bottom. He had lost his job, his girlfriend dumped him, and he lived in a trailer park with his mother and little sister. Not only that but his dreams of being a rapper were slowly being squashed by the main antagonist, Papa Doc.
The rap battles that take place at the end of the movie against Papa Doc and his group, the Leaders of the Free World, are epic. Most audience members walked into this movie already knowing who Eminem was. But the truth is that getting into the story isn’t tough. Watching Rabbit shred the competition while making it look difficult helps to solidify this movie.
But that’s also why this movie should remain a one-and-done. This movie was great on its own.
credit: 8 Mile
This movie only gave a hint at the possibility of a sequel
The end of this movie made it clear that Jimmy (B Rabbit) was going to keep moving forward following his win. But at that time, a sequel would have felt like too much, too soon. The triumph that was felt was quickly tempered as Jimmy went back to work. In a sense, this kept the movie grounded.
There was an idea that it could have returned at some point. This would have possibly shown what had happened to Jimmy’s career. But Brittany Murphy, who passed in 2009, likely would not have made it back. Mekhi Phifer, who was a big part of the movie, even admits that he and Eminem would not have returned.
The point is that this story was great enough to leave on an uncertain note. The final scene was enough to know that Jimmy’s life went on whether he succeeded or not. That type of feeling doesn’t sit well with everyone. But it still gives the sense that things had worked out the way they needed to.
A self-contained story is impressive
Sequels, remakes, continuations, etc., are so prevalent these days that a one and one movie is impressive. If a story can tell itself just enough to entertain the audience from start to finish, it’s a small miracle. Too many people think of creating multiple movies for one idea only to realize that the story needs a lot of help.
There’s no doubt that there are a lot of stories wrapped up in 8 Mile. But Jimmy’s was the one on display and it was capable of dominating the narrative from front to back. People related to Jimmy as a blue-collar worker and someone whose life was anything but perfect. That personal kind of touch made this movie stand out since it allowed people to see a small bit of themselves in the tale.
People like movies that allow them to relate to one character or another.
credit: 8 Mile
The movie was a glimpse into a life that the audience could recognize
The life of a blue-collar worker is rarely glamorous or even that exciting, according to many people. But in the movies, stories that revolve around such characters allow people to turn a mirror on their own lives. This is a popular way to get the attention of many people, but it’s easy to overdo it.
Knowing what people want to watch and giving them just enough of it to satisfy their entertainment and social needs is a balancing act that many directors attempt to learn. Curtis Hanson ended up hitting all the right notes with this movie
The movie was, surprisingly, liked by many who don’t even happen to enjoy rap music. But many would agree that the story and the music conspired to create something that was essentially made for everyone. At the same time, it was definitely a treat for those who had been following Eminem for a while.
Some movies don’t need a sequel
There are a lot of movies out there that don’t need a sequel to back them up or continue the story. 8 Mile took the time to explore the hardships that the main character was experiencing and how tough it was for him to make any headway in his life. Plus, it allowed Eminem to drop a few killer beats that people loved.
It’s best that this movie doesn’t get a sequel, if only due to the fact that leaving the ending open allowed people to come up with their own conclusions. Plus, trying to come up with a satisfying sequel would need the original actors.
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