classicsoncall Review of Judas and the Black Messiah

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

"Anywhere there's people, there's power."

[7/10 · 8 April 2021]

This is a good companion film to a competitor in this year's Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, "The Trial of the Chicago 7". Both deal with civil unrest and the fight for racial justice at a time in our nation's history that more and more seems to resemble our present day. History recalls Fred Hampton as a fiery activist, and his portrayal on screen by Daniel Kaluuya depicts a dedicated if controversial leader in the Black Panther Party. It's frightening to see his calling for violence in the streets and death to 'the pigs' in the face of overwhelming odds against a superior police force. On the flip side, it's just as frightening to witness the tactics used by the FBI and it's agents to coerce Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) into a position to rat out his brothers in the cause. Leading the charge was FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who had complete disdain for the Panthers and virtually anyone who didn't conform to his brand of patriotism. It wasn't until the credits rolled that I learned it was Martin Sheen depicting Hoover; his face was so weirdly made up I would never have recognized him. Over all, I can't help but feel the timing of this movie can only bring further divisiveness to a country already split in two on virtually every point of political ideology, and feel inclined to echo Special Agent Roy Mitchell's (Jesse Plemons) poignant remark to the reluctant O'Neal - "I'm all for civil rights, but you can't cheat your way to equality".