Chi-Raq

• Drama
• Crime
• Comedy

Spike Lee’s *Chi-Raq* is a boldly provocative and darkly comedic musical-drama reframing the brutal realities of gang warfare in Chicago through the lens of Aristophanes’ ancient Greek anti-war comedy, *Lysistrata*. When women, exhausted by the relentless cycle of violence claiming their sons and lovers, initiate a sex strike to pressure rival gangs into peace, the film generates a uniquely jarring and darkly humorous atmosphere. Beyond its arresting premise, *Chi-Raq* explores the systemic failures that exacerbate urban violence, presenting a visceral and unconventional portrait of a community grappling with loss and seeking agency in the face of despair. While visually dynamic with rap battles and theatrical flourishes, the core remains a raw, unflinching examination of grief, resilience, and the radical lengths to which communities will go to demand an end to bloodshed.