Da 5 Bloods makes it no secret where its creative inspirations lie. Any movie about men heading off to unearth gold and developing distrust with one another is bound to draw comparisons to
The Treasure of Sierra Madre. Writer/director Spike Lee has been open on that influences as well as how
Da 5 Bloods takes inspiration from another Vietnam film,
Apocalypse Now. Meanwhile, I myself found
Da 5 Bloods frequently evoking William Friedkin's
Sorcerer. Da 5 Bloods has an obvious rich love for the cinema of the past. However, this is not one of those movies that lean on homages alone. Instead, past films are used as a springboard for something new, something exciting, and something boldly-realized.
