Malcolm X (B or 3/4 stars)
Denzel Washington gives a towering performance in director Spike Lee's ambitious, if bloated historical biopic of the 1960s charismatic, if controversial Black Muslim teacher/preacher/activist, 'Malcolm X'. The story begins in the 1940s, when long after his father was killed by the Ku Klux Klan, Malcolm Little (Denzel) arrives in Boston, eager to experience what awaits him in the city streets & dance halls. Soon enough, he falls under the influence of street hustler, Shorty (director, Spike Lee). Then over in NY, he is hired by West Indian underworld kingpin, Archie (Delroy Lindo), & becomes a runner. At this point in his life journey, Malcolm craves affirmation & guidance from older men to boost his confidence. Unfortunately, that transition also includes a foray into the licentious world of drugs, alcohol & women.
To this, Malcolm gets on the wrong side of Archie & must flee NY. Up in Boston, he regresses further to petty burglary, is caught, & winds up in jail. The 2nd phase of his life journey starts after his time in prison, when he meets Baines (Albert Hall), a Black Muslim inmate who makes him realize his lack of pride in his African heritage. With great fervor, he assumes the code of conduct for his new religion which forbids drinking, smoking, eating pork, or sexual proclivities. He also changes his name to Malcolm X, signifying his unknown African identity {due to slavery}. Now, Malcolm X dedicates himself to declaring the values & ideas of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad (Al Freeman, Jr.), leader of the Nation of Islam. In 1958, he marries a nurse, Betty Sanders (Angela Bassett), & then hurls himself into his ministry.
Malcolm's aptitude as a preacher comes across in his volcanic expose of the hypocrisies & myths of racism in America. He critiques America's whites for the violence it has inflicted upon blacks. He argues the fundamental right of all people to be treated with dignity & respect. He pounds home the importance of African-American pride & the pursuance of justice. But when the press gives more coverage to Malcolm than to Elijah Muhammad, constituents of the leader's inner-circle convince him to cut-off his zealous protege off. On the last leg of his life journey, Malcolm makes a pilgrimage to Mecca; where he converts from Islam to being a Sunni Muslim, & changes his name to El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz -- he would become a Muslim martyr.
There, on his own, without outsiders, his spirit is nourished. He meets Muslims of all kinds & senses the global extent of the perpetual struggle for justice. He also accepts his desire to work with other civil rights leaders - and even whites - to create a better existence for his people. But returning to the U.S. to set-up his own mosque, Malcolm becomes isolated from just about everyone. The whites fear him for his hatemongering reputation, & black Muslims view him as a Judas figure. And in 1965, at the age of 39, before he can send forth his hopes & dreams for his ministry, he is assassinated by a plethora of resentful Black Muslim disciples.
Director Spike Lee convincingly marks the many low & many high points of Malcolm X's legendary, but short life. The film is carried by the quiet, but focused intensity of Denzel Washington, who, for my $$, should have won the Academy Award over Al Pacino's performance in Scent of a Woman; Pacino is great, but I'd have awarded him elsewhere. Not only does Denzel capture Malcolm X's tone & cadence of speech, but he embodies the man's essence, as well. The other performances definitively reflect Malcolm X's charisma, as well as all his positive & negative traits.
Al Freeman, Jr. is exceptional as the controversial Elijah Muhammad. Angela Bassett rivets as Betty Sanders/Shabazz. And the rest of the cast including Christopher Plummer, Lonette McKee, Debi Mazar, Joe Seneca, Giancarlo Esposito, & many more, impress, as well. On the tech side of things, the cinematography, period sets, & Ruth E. Carter's award-nominated costumes are all laudable. Spike Lee directs with some flair and, the film is clearly a labor of love, but for me, the storytelling is a bit too conventional to enthrall & captivate for the duration of the movie's 3 1/4 hour run time! This labor of love tends to be laborious. I loved its particulars, its insights, and learned a lot, but this elongated film is not without its flaws.
To this, Malcolm gets on the wrong side of Archie & must flee NY. Up in Boston, he regresses further to petty burglary, is caught, & winds up in jail. The 2nd phase of his life journey starts after his time in prison, when he meets Baines (Albert Hall), a Black Muslim inmate who makes him realize his lack of pride in his African heritage. With great fervor, he assumes the code of conduct for his new religion which forbids drinking, smoking, eating pork, or sexual proclivities. He also changes his name to Malcolm X, signifying his unknown African identity {due to slavery}. Now, Malcolm X dedicates himself to declaring the values & ideas of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad (Al Freeman, Jr.), leader of the Nation of Islam. In 1958, he marries a nurse, Betty Sanders (Angela Bassett), & then hurls himself into his ministry.
Malcolm's aptitude as a preacher comes across in his volcanic expose of the hypocrisies & myths of racism in America. He critiques America's whites for the violence it has inflicted upon blacks. He argues the fundamental right of all people to be treated with dignity & respect. He pounds home the importance of African-American pride & the pursuance of justice. But when the press gives more coverage to Malcolm than to Elijah Muhammad, constituents of the leader's inner-circle convince him to cut-off his zealous protege off. On the last leg of his life journey, Malcolm makes a pilgrimage to Mecca; where he converts from Islam to being a Sunni Muslim, & changes his name to El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz -- he would become a Muslim martyr.
There, on his own, without outsiders, his spirit is nourished. He meets Muslims of all kinds & senses the global extent of the perpetual struggle for justice. He also accepts his desire to work with other civil rights leaders - and even whites - to create a better existence for his people. But returning to the U.S. to set-up his own mosque, Malcolm becomes isolated from just about everyone. The whites fear him for his hatemongering reputation, & black Muslims view him as a Judas figure. And in 1965, at the age of 39, before he can send forth his hopes & dreams for his ministry, he is assassinated by a plethora of resentful Black Muslim disciples.
Director Spike Lee convincingly marks the many low & many high points of Malcolm X's legendary, but short life. The film is carried by the quiet, but focused intensity of Denzel Washington, who, for my $$, should have won the Academy Award over Al Pacino's performance in Scent of a Woman; Pacino is great, but I'd have awarded him elsewhere. Not only does Denzel capture Malcolm X's tone & cadence of speech, but he embodies the man's essence, as well. The other performances definitively reflect Malcolm X's charisma, as well as all his positive & negative traits.
Al Freeman, Jr. is exceptional as the controversial Elijah Muhammad. Angela Bassett rivets as Betty Sanders/Shabazz. And the rest of the cast including Christopher Plummer, Lonette McKee, Debi Mazar, Joe Seneca, Giancarlo Esposito, & many more, impress, as well. On the tech side of things, the cinematography, period sets, & Ruth E. Carter's award-nominated costumes are all laudable. Spike Lee directs with some flair and, the film is clearly a labor of love, but for me, the storytelling is a bit too conventional to enthrall & captivate for the duration of the movie's 3 1/4 hour run time! This labor of love tends to be laborious. I loved its particulars, its insights, and learned a lot, but this elongated film is not without its flaws.