A story about revolution, featuring terrific acting and intense directing come together to bring us a riveting start to 2021.
The late-1960s saw the rise of the Black Panther Movement. A movement dedicated to the liberation of Black people during a time of heavy police brutality. We follow two key members of the group: Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton and William (Bill) O’Neal. One was responsible for the soar of the Illinois chapter. The other was responsible for its eventual downfall.
Shaka King directs “Judas and the Black Messiah,” with “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya starring as Fred Hampton. LaKeith Stanfield stars opposite playing Bill O’Neal, the FBI informant sent to infiltrate the Black Panthers.
King and co-writers, The Lucas Brothers, tackle the enormous feat of the conflicting stories of these two men. Perfectly balancing a man who is lost, and one who has known his purpose his whole life. They also dive head-in with showing us just how involved the FBI was in taking down Fred Hampton.
A highpoint for me is the acting. Kaluuya’s first on-screen appearance as Hampton is at a college seminar. From his first line, “I don’t need a mic, can y’all hear me,” we know the type of person he will be portraying – a motivational, strong-willed and passionate leader. It’s fascinating to watch him bring Fred Hampton’s story to the screen.
Stanfield’s performance as Bill O’Neal is stressful to watch, but in a good way. He’s so over the top to prevent anyone from catching onto him being an informant. Stanfield also does brilliantly at depicting the guilty side of O’Neal. The side of him that feels remorse for sacrificing others to save his skin.
Everyone in the cast did a phenomenal job, there were no weak links. Two stand-outs for me were Dominique Fishback and Algee Smith.
This movie is coming at the perfect time. It makes you think – what is a revolution? What has to be done to achieve freedom, and how far are you willing to go? Will it even work in the end?
In the context of what happened last year, we still find ourselves asking those questions. The Black Lives Matter Movement, a peaceful protest that quickly turned violent. We wanted an end to police brutality, and here we are in 2021. Did we achieve what the protests set out to do? How far must we go to get people to understand that Black lives matter?
“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a beautiful film. Some of its genius lies in the little things like the score, the poem about a mother giving her most precious things to the world, or the shot of the raised Black fists. Any award nominations are highly deserved, and I recommend this film.
Rated: R
Release Date: Feb 12 2021
Where: In theaters and HBO Max (for 31 days)
Featured image courtesy of Warner Bros Studios via Variety