BMF: Season Two

The word “family” takes on a new meaning in Black Mafia Family season two. It’s no longer just about blood relatives and titles such as parents and siblings. In this series, “blood doesn’t make you family, loyalty does”, essentially attaching a sort of contract to the concept. Like the roots of a family tree, the stories of the show stem from one overarching plot that diverges depending on each character – themes range from emotional infidelity to breaking traditions and parental expectations, and questions of whether the risks people take are worth the rewards. These themes incite nuanced discussions of dynamics between different races, morality and justification of violence, poverty and lack of government support leading to a life of crime, and stereotypes that affect the perception of minorities in different societies.

One of the strongest aspects of BMF is its cast; Demetrius Flenory Jr proves his acting chops time and time again by showcasing the two sides of “Meech”, the character based on his father, Demetrius Flenory. He’s charismatic, charming, kind and very family-oriented while being cold, ruthless and clinical. His ability to switch from one facet of these characteristics to the next on the complete opposite end of the scale is seamless, highlighting the fact that anyone is capable of going to extremes, even the most unexpected of individuals. The rest of the cast follows suit with very convincing performances by young talents such as Da’Vinchi and Myles Truitt.

Editing is another effective technique used to draw viewers into the series. The jump scares and intense moments in the heat of the fast pacing and turnarounds create a sort of calm before the storm atmosphere. Because of this constant barrage of anticlimactic scenes moving through action sequences, viewers become desensitised to the violence – images of blood soaking, and sounds of gunshots and bodies hitting the floor lose their shock value, emphasising how normalised this way of life is. The colours alternate from a warm golden hue to neutral grey to sterilised cool blue that differentiates scenes of domestic family moments from business-related ventures. These colours set the tone for what viewers can expect from a scene but slowly morph into different shades to increase dramatic tension.

BMF has characters so endearing, stories so intriguing and scenes so horrifying, it’s hard to look away. The excellent and classic soundtrack is just the cherry on top.

Mae Trumata

BMF: Season Two is released on 6^th January 2023.

Watch the trailer for BMF: Season Two here: