Battle rap satire Bodied premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday night (September 7), packing a 1,200-seat auditorium with festival-goers, film critics and diehard fans of the battle scene.
In his introduction at the highly anticipated world premiere, director Joseph Khan cracked that the controversial film could possibly sink his career, as well as that of anyone involved in bringing it to the festival. But throughout the Eminem-produced film’s two-hour running time, a diverse cast of characters (many of them renowned battlers playing on archetypes from the actual subculture) spat what seemed like every racist, homophobic and misogynistic slur on Urban Dictionary, and somehow managed not to offend anyone.
Initial reviews from fans and critics have been overwhelmingly positive. Check out some reactions below.
#BODIED: Like Scott Pilgrim stumbled into 8 MILE. Lots of rap battle fun; cue the identity politics thinkpieces. #TIFF
— erickohn (@erickohn) September 8, 2017
I got no skills when it comes to spittin' rhymes, but I can recommend the fxck out of movies that are worth your time. #Bodied#TIFF17
— ferdosa @ TIFF (@atomicwick) September 8, 2017
#Bodied is a demonically relentless battle rap satire AND an audacious interrogation of identity politics that puts fake wokeness on notice
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) September 8, 2017
#Bodied at #TIFF17 was insane. I loved it. Great start to Midnghy Madness. Made me wish I knew more about hip hop and battle rap.
— Sherry Li (@sherrys_world) September 8, 2017
#BODIED was unreal. This is gonna be everywhere. Thanks @CalumWorthy@rosenberg (who took the best selfie) @cthagod@JosephKahn#TIFF17pic.twitter.com/a1LE5882xf
— ethan ryan (@ethanisblank) September 8, 2017
Even before Thursday’s midnight screening, the four showings of the movie had sold out on strong local media buzz.
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Screenwriter and former King Of The Dot champion Alex “Kid Twist” Larsen described the whole night as “surreal.”
We’re working on a full review for DX. Keep your eyes peeled.
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[This story has been updated. The following was originally published on September 7, 2017 at 1:48 PST.]
Eminem’s highly anticipated battle rap film Bodied, directed by famed music director Joseph Kahn, is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Thursday night (September 7).
Bodied is a satirical film based around race relations and a white graduate student’s experience of the battle rap world, sparking the topic for his thesis statement. The movie stars Austin & Ally‘s Calum Worthy, MAD TV‘s Debra Wilson, The Breakfast Club star Anthony Micheal Hall and Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club personality Charlamagne Tha God.
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Kahn believes that battle rap is the last “safe space” for free speech and Bodied will push the envelope when it comes to topics that are deemed too sensitive in today’s society. “I want to do a treatise on the way the world exists today,” Kahn told The Globe and Mail. “Right now, the thing that is consuming the world, specifically North American culture, is race relations. And how you live in a world of multiculturalism and where are the spaces you can talk about things and not talk about things.”
Prepare for everyone to get roasted.
Someone is going to get Bodied tonight at TIFF. Excited for the premiere of our flick with @JosephKahn, here's the poster! pic.twitter.com/Z2mgtjnH1U
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) September 7, 2017
The Eminem-produced movie will also feature a ton of well-known battle rappers including Toronto’s Kid Twist, who co-wrote the script with Kahn. Kid Twist and fellow battle rap star Madness will be going bar-for-bar for a live showdown at the festival as well.
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Check out @BattleRapDotCom for live updates from the premiere.
