Mos Def plays the Bob Cratchit clone, called Wemba here (on his own time, Wemba is studying to follow in Cratchit's footsteps as a bookkeeper, a dead giveaway of director Eric Eason's remake intentions). Wemba works as a dishwasher for brothel owner Sinatra, aka Rosso (Scott Glenn)--the Scrooge-like character. Sinatra gives Wemba a chance at a new life, if he can pull off the sale of a fortune in cocaine left behind at the brothel when the Mr. Fezziwig stand-in (The Russian=Johannes Sioberg) is gunned down in a murder-suicide by Mrs. Fezziwig (Carla Esposito here) in a tragic love triangle involving Sinatra's original drug mule, Baaba (Henry Babatunde Fadayumi). All Wemba need accomplish is to exchange the coke for the money-filled backpack of the Spirit of Christmas Past, aka Bosco Tang (Faroouq Olawale Sadia).
Unfortunately, Sinatra's partner (the Jacob Marley character), his son Paul (Brendan Fraser), is still alive, and wants to get his hands on both the coke money and Fanny Scrooge, known here as Angie or the second Mrs. Sinatra (Catalina Sandino Moreno). Paul also believes he's the actual father of his step-brother Tiny Tim, dubbed Lazar (Luke Denis Nolan) in this retelling. In an effort to learn why Wemba is late returning to the brothel, Paul sends his personal thug Rodrigo (Milhem Cortaz, in the Undertaker role) to kidnap the Spirit of Christmas Future, the blind seer (Rui Polanah) to learn which way the cookie will crumble.
Meanwhile, Wemba has made the exchange, but he's knocked unconscious by the two Collectors (designated as such in both the 1951 and the 2006 renderings). Fortunately, his cash pack is still at hand when the Spirit of Christmas Present--Monique (Alicia Braga)--comes to Wemba's rescue. Before he can return to the brothel, Rodrigo guns down Monique, as well as the clairvoyant's seeing-eye dog.
Back at the brothel, Paul already has sliced open the face of this movie's Mr. Groper, the transsexual prostitute Nazda (Matheus Nachtergale), probably because Nazda had earlier snuffed out Baaba's life. The disfigured Nazda returns to Sinatra's office just after Paul has informed his dad he's confiscating all the drug money if Wemba ever returns. Nazda shoots Paul twice, Paul shoots Nazda once, and then Nazda puts two more bullets into Paul, blasting him to his death in the courtyard way below the broken-out office window. Nazda dies of his own bullet wound a moment before Wemba finally brings home the bacon. Rodrigo is hot on Wemba's heels, but Sinatra and Rodrigo exchange fatal shots, with the brothel owner bestowing his wife and money upon Wemba before expiring. The Seer looks on benignly as Wemba, Angie, and Lazar prepare to depart. Unbelievably, the Spirits have accomplished Wemba's transformation in a single night!
While this remake was okay, I still am most partial to the 1951 version of A CHR!STMAS CAROL, aka SCROOGE, starring Alistair Sim in the title role.
Unfortunately, Sinatra's partner (the Jacob Marley character), his son Paul (Brendan Fraser), is still alive, and wants to get his hands on both the coke money and Fanny Scrooge, known here as Angie or the second Mrs. Sinatra (Catalina Sandino Moreno). Paul also believes he's the actual father of his step-brother Tiny Tim, dubbed Lazar (Luke Denis Nolan) in this retelling. In an effort to learn why Wemba is late returning to the brothel, Paul sends his personal thug Rodrigo (Milhem Cortaz, in the Undertaker role) to kidnap the Spirit of Christmas Future, the blind seer (Rui Polanah) to learn which way the cookie will crumble.
Meanwhile, Wemba has made the exchange, but he's knocked unconscious by the two Collectors (designated as such in both the 1951 and the 2006 renderings). Fortunately, his cash pack is still at hand when the Spirit of Christmas Present--Monique (Alicia Braga)--comes to Wemba's rescue. Before he can return to the brothel, Rodrigo guns down Monique, as well as the clairvoyant's seeing-eye dog.
Back at the brothel, Paul already has sliced open the face of this movie's Mr. Groper, the transsexual prostitute Nazda (Matheus Nachtergale), probably because Nazda had earlier snuffed out Baaba's life. The disfigured Nazda returns to Sinatra's office just after Paul has informed his dad he's confiscating all the drug money if Wemba ever returns. Nazda shoots Paul twice, Paul shoots Nazda once, and then Nazda puts two more bullets into Paul, blasting him to his death in the courtyard way below the broken-out office window. Nazda dies of his own bullet wound a moment before Wemba finally brings home the bacon. Rodrigo is hot on Wemba's heels, but Sinatra and Rodrigo exchange fatal shots, with the brothel owner bestowing his wife and money upon Wemba before expiring. The Seer looks on benignly as Wemba, Angie, and Lazar prepare to depart. Unbelievably, the Spirits have accomplished Wemba's transformation in a single night!
While this remake was okay, I still am most partial to the 1951 version of A CHR!STMAS CAROL, aka SCROOGE, starring Alistair Sim in the title role.