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In a new era of political divisiveness and contestation, Hollywood has apparently rediscovered the late 1960s and its uproar in the streets as a way to reflect what American society is currently experiencing. On the heels of Aaron Sorkin’s brilliance The Chicago 7 trial, we now have another true story of the government trying to stifle rising voices of dissent, in this case with the controversial Black Panther movement in the same period. Director Shaka King Takes It Powerfully And Gives It Gravity Judas and the Black Messiah. Daniel Kaluuya plays Fred Hampton, the charismatic young president of the Black Panthers chapter in Illinois, and Lakeith Stanfield is William O’Neal, the troubled young man who infiltrates his organization as an FBI informant, who targets the group, and in particular Hampton, as radical terrorists who pose a threat to national security.
In fact, Hampton is a minor player in Chicago 7 trial, seen sitting behind and chatting with fellow Panther Bobby Seale, who is part of the group on trial; Hampton was in fact murdered while a circus trial was going on. But here we get a full-blown portrait, and we get to know the real Hampton as an extremely polite and effective speaker for his cause, an unifying expert by his side who knows how to stir up followers and maybe has some ideas. smart to take. the Black Panthers on another level.
Enrolling as a student at a college in the Midwest, he quickly rose through the ranks – so fast that he caught the eye of famed FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), who enlisted a dedicated flagship and Self-proclaimed morality, FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (an excellent Jesse Plemons), to stop the Panthers and Hampton that Hoover sees as an emerging threat. Plemons finds O’Neal – accused of impersonating an FBI agent and driving a stolen car over state lines – as a perfect foil to infiltrate the Panther organization and its chapter on more progressive in order to get to the heart of the Hampton operation so they can take it. outside. Faced with the choice of cooperating or spending seven years in prison, O’Neal finds himself sucked into the plan, a worried accomplice in conflict between what he increasingly sees as the noble causes of Hampton and the Panthers and his own. desire for a more beautiful life that he sees. in Mitchell’s world. It is complex, torn between two paths and walks a very dangerous tightrope. He is Judas and Hampton the Black Messiah, the latter is the description Hoover uses to mark the group he is trying to bring down.
Joining co-writers Will Berson, Keith Lucas and Kenny Lucas, King deftly exposes each side of the equation in this raw and gripping tale set in 1968: the emerging force of the Black Panthers, seen as a threat to the vision of the Hoover’s world. , and Hampton’s belief in the power of the people to rise to equality and justice in a society that is torn apart. Kaluuya once again demonstrates exceptional strength as an actor, particularly good at recreating the speeches of Hampton, so self-assured at just 21, sadly featuring a man downcast before he can rise to greatness. But it’s Stanfield who really has the hardest job here, trying to navigate both sides without imploding, an imperfect man tragically mistaken and everyone around him. Stanfield is sensational in the role, a better career to date. Also very good is Dominique Fishback as a revolutionary and emerging companion of Hampton, fiercely devoted and nine months pregnant.
In the circle around Hampton there are a number of other good players, including raging Jimmy Palmer (Ashton Sanders), enthusiastic disciple Jake Winters (Algee Smith), security captain Judy Harmon (Dominique Thorne) and co-founder of the Illinois Panthers Bobby Rush (Darrell Britt-Gibson). Lil Rel Howery also has his moments as Wayne, who meets O’Neal on the night streets of Chicago.
The producers are Ryan Coogler (who is dealing with a very different Black Panther this time), Charles D. King and Shaka King. Warner Bros. releases the film in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12, after tonight’s world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Check out my review above with scenes from the movie. Do you intend to see Judas and the Black Messiah? Tell us what you think.
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