Judas & the Black Messiah (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Judas & the Black Messiah' (a timely biographical drama directed by Shaka King) opens in 1968 in Chicago, where petty thief Bill O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) makes 2 big mistakes: 1) being caught, and 2) impersonating a federal agent during said theft. His FBI handler, Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons, always stellar), gives him, well, 2 two options: 1) he can either serve hard time in prison or he can infiltrate the local chapter of the Black Panther Party as an undercover informant. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen, under mounds of doughy make-up) has deemed the Black Panther's a direct threat to white America's way of life and, has his eye on the rising star/charismatic leader of the local chapter, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).
While working hard to feed the poor + decreeing other non-controversial social reforms, the politically-charged Fred Hampton believes that revolution is necessary to combat systemic racism with has many devoted followers who include the likes of Bobby Rush (Darrell Britt-Gibson), Jimmy Palmer (Ashton Sanders, so good in Moonlight), Jake Winters (Algee Smith, so good in Detroit), & Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback), who endured the risk of Hampton's cause while carrying his baby. As Bobby argues with the powers-that-be trying to attenuate his actions & silence Hampton's calls for change, conflicted Bill continues to work for the FBI, knowing well enough that he is risking his life should any of the Black Panthers figure out what he's really up to. Soul-heavy, Billy must decide whether to align with Hampton or subdue him & the Black Panthers for a vindictive J. Edgar Hoover.
'Judas & the Black Messiah' makes it clear that the U.S. government labeled the Black Panthers as a threat because their focus on racial, social & economic justice threatened Hoover {and America's} white privileged way of life -- powerful stuff on paper. That said, to me, the film struggles a bit to juggle both a cautionary tale regarding Billy O'Neal AND a Fred Hampton biopic {of sorts}. O'Neal's conflicted descent into the darkness simply isn't as engaging a story to tell as Hampton's. Stanfield is quite good, here; showing how crushed & disturbed O'Neal becomes in his informant role. But really, we wait for the next Fred Hampton scene to pop-up. Similarly, while Jess Plemons lends subtle layers of characterization to FBI contact Mitchell, his scenes with Stanfield simmer on a low boil rather than crackle.
This film is most successful when it focuses on Hampton, & that's because of Daniel Kaluuya's volcanic portrayal. British Kaluuya ably recalls Hampton's unique Chicagoan drawl, but also captures the multi-faceted dimensions to this passionate leader; including a more reserved side that he shows away from the spotlight. And Dominique Fishback's portrayal of Deborah Johnson further enhances Hampton's humanity. Fishback does what she can in a pretty underwritten role. You know the type ... strong black woman behind the black male revolutionary. She may have had her own aspirations, but here, she's the one-dimensional 'wife'.
The best movies get 'into the head' of its major players, but the character motivations here are not as deep as they could be. There is an episodic feel to the plot construction; like a collection of scattershot scenes that vary in tension & propulsiveness. Some are gripping {like the chilling climax in Hampton's apartment}, but plenty fail to enthrall. Now, the best part of the film is the last 20 min.; always good to go out with a bang. I also admire Sean Bobbit's crisp cinematography. The sound work is excellent. The music aids the proceedings. And the film is worth seeing for its perspective of a time when injustices mirror what's still going on 50+ years later. I just wish the lasting impact was scintillating, rather than merely satisfactory.
While working hard to feed the poor + decreeing other non-controversial social reforms, the politically-charged Fred Hampton believes that revolution is necessary to combat systemic racism with has many devoted followers who include the likes of Bobby Rush (Darrell Britt-Gibson), Jimmy Palmer (Ashton Sanders, so good in Moonlight), Jake Winters (Algee Smith, so good in Detroit), & Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback), who endured the risk of Hampton's cause while carrying his baby. As Bobby argues with the powers-that-be trying to attenuate his actions & silence Hampton's calls for change, conflicted Bill continues to work for the FBI, knowing well enough that he is risking his life should any of the Black Panthers figure out what he's really up to. Soul-heavy, Billy must decide whether to align with Hampton or subdue him & the Black Panthers for a vindictive J. Edgar Hoover.
'Judas & the Black Messiah' makes it clear that the U.S. government labeled the Black Panthers as a threat because their focus on racial, social & economic justice threatened Hoover {and America's} white privileged way of life -- powerful stuff on paper. That said, to me, the film struggles a bit to juggle both a cautionary tale regarding Billy O'Neal AND a Fred Hampton biopic {of sorts}. O'Neal's conflicted descent into the darkness simply isn't as engaging a story to tell as Hampton's. Stanfield is quite good, here; showing how crushed & disturbed O'Neal becomes in his informant role. But really, we wait for the next Fred Hampton scene to pop-up. Similarly, while Jess Plemons lends subtle layers of characterization to FBI contact Mitchell, his scenes with Stanfield simmer on a low boil rather than crackle.
This film is most successful when it focuses on Hampton, & that's because of Daniel Kaluuya's volcanic portrayal. British Kaluuya ably recalls Hampton's unique Chicagoan drawl, but also captures the multi-faceted dimensions to this passionate leader; including a more reserved side that he shows away from the spotlight. And Dominique Fishback's portrayal of Deborah Johnson further enhances Hampton's humanity. Fishback does what she can in a pretty underwritten role. You know the type ... strong black woman behind the black male revolutionary. She may have had her own aspirations, but here, she's the one-dimensional 'wife'.
The best movies get 'into the head' of its major players, but the character motivations here are not as deep as they could be. There is an episodic feel to the plot construction; like a collection of scattershot scenes that vary in tension & propulsiveness. Some are gripping {like the chilling climax in Hampton's apartment}, but plenty fail to enthrall. Now, the best part of the film is the last 20 min.; always good to go out with a bang. I also admire Sean Bobbit's crisp cinematography. The sound work is excellent. The music aids the proceedings. And the film is worth seeing for its perspective of a time when injustices mirror what's still going on 50+ years later. I just wish the lasting impact was scintillating, rather than merely satisfactory.