Like a lot of successful directors, John Singleton seems to divide his time equally between personal films and pay-the-bills projects. For every Boyz N the Hood, moviegoers can expect at least one Shaft or 2 Fast 2 Furious. Four Brothers is definitely in the latter category. It’s a solidly built, yet forgettable revenge action movie that is notable mostly for its outstanding young cast (…) Singleton goes for something high-energy and retro — the score used during chase scenes has a blaxploitation vibe — and the finished product has enough crowd-pleasing moments to make mainstream audiences happy in the short run. But make no mistake, his next film will probably be a lot better. — Peter Hartlaub