Judas and the Black Messiah-2021

Director Shaka King

Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Scott’s Review #1,176

Reviewed September 9, 2021

Grade: B+

I wanted to love Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).

I still champion the importance of the story, however, and the timeliness of its release. The film has some moments of glory where a bombastic scene occurs that immediately reins the viewer back into the fold.

However, other parts drag and feel fragmented or otherwise confusing, to the point where the film sometimes bored me, and I hate admitting that.

I teetered back and forth between a B+ grade and a B grade, and, perhaps channeling my political side, I finally settled on a very generous B+ determination. Before I watched the film, I would have bet on an A or an A-. Alas, it was not to be.

That the film was made and exposed a mass audience to the trials and tribulations of the late 1960s Chicago racial tensions that helped create the Black Panthers organization is, of course, a huge win.

But I wanted more. Much more.

A major gripe is that the song from the film, winner of the Best Original Song Oscar, only appears over the end credits and has nothing to do with the film. Having a tacked-on feel, the song, performed by H.E.R. and others, is not particularly memorable either.

The title is “Fight for You”, possessing images of battle and courage, which fit the theme of the film, but the song itself is pretty lackluster.

The plotline is a challenge to follow, but goes something like this. The FBI recruits small-time Chicago thief Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) to infiltrate the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).

At first, O’Neal enjoys the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his FBI primary contact, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Plemons). Hampton’s political power grows as he falls in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback).

To complicate matters, she becomes pregnant.

Meanwhile, O’Neal becomes conflicted. Does he align with The Panthers and where his heart lies, or thwart Hampton’s efforts by any means necessary, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?

The acting is fantastic, and along with the message, it is the film’s best part. Justified controversy ensued over the placement of Kaluuya and Stanfield in the Supporting Actor category at the Oscars; both received nominations, and Kaluuya was the victor.

It’s evident to me that Stanfield is the lead character, so it’s a shame he wasn’t nominated for a Best Actor award.

With Chadwick Boseman positioned to be the clear winner for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) and shockingly losing to Anthony Hopkins for The Father (2020), was the thought that another black actor in the category might ruin Boseman’s chances?

We’ll probably never know.

Kaluuya and Stanfield are both mesmerizing, and I look forward to their subsequent projects, especially Kaluuya, whom I fell in love with after his turn in Get Out (2017).

A heavily made-up Martin Sheen is a treat to see in a woefully too-small role as J. Edgar Hoover.

The rest of the film is pretty good. The climax is thrilling and almost bumped the movie up a grade for me. Without giving too much away, it involves a bloody shoot-out, a real-life interview, and highlight footage. I love the reality the latter provides.

But then I remembered the snail’s pace it took to get to this point and how the other good scenes paled in comparison with a plodding pace.

I adored the characters and fell in love with the sweet, though doomed, romance between Hampton and Deborah. I yearned for them to live happily ever after, even after my hunch told me this was not in the cards for them.

My hunch was correct.

The intent was to evoke outrage in the audience at the unfairness that people of color endured in the late 1960s.  I was angrier still at the realization that they are still being maltreated in the time of George Floyd and others.

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) receives hands-down significant praise for its intent and acting, but disappoints in terms of delivery and final product. It is not equal to the sum of all its parts.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor-Daniel Kaluuya (won), Lakeith Stanfield, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Song-“Fight for You” (won)