Review: BlacKkKlansman

BlacKkKlansman
Cert: 15 / 135 mins / Dir. Spike Lee / Trailer



It's difficult, even after all these years of picking films apart, to know how to begin deconstructing a work as bitingly relevant as Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. It's the mostly-true 1970s story of the first Afro-American Colorado Springs detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), who infiltrates both the Black Panthers and the Ku Klux Klan as a member of an organisation which has wildly fluctuating opinions on both.

This movie has plenty to say and it dares you to disagree.

The KKK-aspect is where the majority of the screentime lies of course, not only since it's the more challenging area*¹, but also what the core of the movie is about. Naturally it's an absurd premise in itself, and that's certainly not played down in the script, but it's never loses its edge in either tone or execution.

The problem screenwriters always have in adapting true stories for the screen is, of course, can real events have the satisfying conclusion that a film is willing its audience toward?
The answer here is yes.
Fuck yes, it can.

Washington rides front and centre with a turn that's simultaneously deserving of every possible award, yet not overtly angling for a single one. Supported by a magnificent cast, there are no weak performances in BlacKkKlansman; the director wouldn't allow it and neither would the screenplay. And all credit goes to Topher Grace, Alec Baldwin, Jasper Pääkkönen and a host of others for grabbing the bull by the horns in portraying some pretty rank individuals with no less gusto than they'd apply to the most desirable of screen roles.

The KKK aren't represented here as comically stupid (well, not wholly), but the kind of insidious intelligence that 'the organisation' needs to stay in existence, yet still lacking basic common sense. The audience are allowed to laugh at them, but never to underestimate their threat.

Spike Lee's lightness of touch keeps things rolling along. Despite its subject matter the movie isn't inflammatory, it isn't even particularly cynical - just mad as hell from the first scene, and rightfully so. Although there are intentionally amusing moments, BlacKkKlansman is an acerbic drama which Lee directs like a comedy. This duality is both the film's greatest strength, and also what holds it back from finding a comfortable groove. Then again, this piece of work is pretty far from about being comfortable. While there will no doubt be those who think that the last five minutes are 'a bit much', that's the point of the entire film.

Will BlacKkKlansman change minds, politically? Unlikely, but then that's the nature of the problem itself. Spike Lee's film is a line in the sand, a reminder that some things will not go unchallenged, the movie which looks at the tone of Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained, then says 'hold my Kool-Aid'...

The smarts of The Death of Stalin with the style of Logan Lucky and The Nice Guys.



It is.



Buy this at the earliest opportunity.



It's certainly a strong contender.



If you're wrong, sure.



There isn't.



Level 1: Kylo Ren's in this.





*¹ After the two walkouts in Enfield during Slender Man, we got a quartet of people who decided they weren't digging this Spike Lee joint. Which feels disappointing, but ultimately fair enough. The film's certainly unapologetic in its tone. ^{[ BACK ]}

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

Review: Malcolm X

Macolm X (1992)
Cert: 15 / 197 mins / Dir. Spike Lee / Trailer



You see? I knew there was a time when Denzel Washington didn't fly planes pissed and attack stereotypical Russian gangsters with a nailgun. Turns out it was 1992. The biopic about one of America's most controversial Civil Rights figures was never going to be an easy story to tell, and more credit goes to director Spike Lee for not attempting to make it one.

Unflinching in its lionisation of Malcolm X's strengths and flaws, the 197 minute journey sees a masterful performance from Washington, although this often comes at the cost of his supporting players being sidelined altogether. Despite spanning Malcolm's whole life (with his childhood presented as key flashbacks), the film has such a massive time-period to cover (as well as the numerous points in his personal development) that it skips over areas that would usually be deemed indispensable; the pencilling-in of the entire relationship with his wife, Betty, being among the worst casualties (this also belies the film's issues with misogyny, most of which go unaddressed). Elsewhere, Lee peppers the brutally frank biographical style with moments of almost abstract symbolism, while Terence Blanchard's sweeping, romantic score undercuts them both.

As great an achievement as Malcolm X is, I think it would have been more accessible as a trio of shorter, but more in-depth films, separately but connectedly depicting the phases of his life.

Because if you're not trying to make the story of an outspoken, complex leader accessible to audiences who have perhaps misunderstood him, then why make the film at all?

Well again, it's not exactly a night in with a few beers, so no. The knowledge that I should have seen it is why it's on this list.



Certainly am.



Yes, but only to people who've got three and a half hours of heavy-concentration going spare.



I didn't hear one.



Well, Malcolm X features an appearance from Christopher Plummer, who also starred in 1964's The Fall Of The Roman Empire as did Sir Alec 'Kenobi' Guinness.







DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.