Judas and the Black Messiah

Racism has all too often reared its ugly head in recent years with the rise of extremist groups who felt emboldened by recent political climates. As violence leads to protests which can themselves become violent; the perpetual cycle seems unending. In the new film “Judas and the Black Messiah”, audiences are told the real-life story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) who runs a local chapter of The Black Panthers in Illinois in the 1960s. The rise of what is perceived as militant groups in the wake of the killings of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King has caused increased police and Federal actions which have caused many in Hampton’s community to feel they are at war with the authorities and fighting for their very survival against a system of injustice and systemic racism. When car thief William O’Neal is arrested, FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons); offers O’Neal a chance to avoid prison and earn some money by becoming an informant. Despite his reservations; O’Neal works his way into Hampton’s inner circle and develops a friendship with the man as he learns of his plans to unify the various factions in their communities. O’Neal sees how there is more to the Black Panthers as they feed, educate, and assist members of their community and work to contain more extreme elements that look to make statements through bombings and extreme actions. The threat posed by Hampton draws the attention of FBI Director J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), and plans are developed to take down Hampton and his organization which in turn puts even more pressure on Mitchell and O’Neal. The movie is a gripping, disturbing, and sure to be controversial look into the lives of the key figures as well as the ongoing debates on racial injustice, police violence, hate groups, and violence in the community. Director Shaka King attempts to find a balance in the film as there are moments where party members draw their weapons against the police and kill wounded officers. There are also numerous scenes where police beat and shoot unarmed individuals or use excessive force which underscores Hampton’s stance that his community is at war and this is a life or death struggle. The last time I was so disturbed by a film of this genre was “Detroit” which shocked me with the horrific true crimes that were portrayed and how those involved escaped justice. I thought if as a Caucasian I could be so disturbed and disgusted by the terrifying events portrayed in the film; then they would be truly the stuff of nightmares for people of color. The cast is very strong and gives memorable performances that show the complexity of their characters. They are not simply a militant and a snitch, but rather complex individuals trying to survive. “Judas and the Black Messiah” is a very well-crafted film that is equally informative and disturbing and does what good cinema does best; educate, entertain, and inform. 4.5 stars out of 5

'Judas and the Black Messiah' (a bloody brilliant title that took a while for me to figure out) is a true powerhouse of a film - not just because it echoes the current climate and the Black Lives Matter movement, but for its standout performances from Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya and its fantastic direction from Shaka King. - Chris dos Santos Read Chris' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-judas-and-the-black-messiah-revolutionary-true-story-of-the-black-panther-party-in-the-1960s

It’s a bummer when a film has an important historical story to tell but the finished product just isn’t very good. Such is the case with “Judas and the Black Messiah,” director Shaka King‘s take on the true story of charismatic Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), the man who infiltrated the African-American organization in Illinois in the late 1960s. It’s an interesting account of true events about two very important figures in our nation’s history, and the racial justice issues are just as relevant today. But topical material doesn’t always result in an award-worthy (or entertaining) movie. There are plenty of things to appreciate about the film’s execution, including King’s confident directorial style and the knockout lead performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield. Kaluuya has massive shoes to fill when portraying a real life man who was filled with so much insight and wisdom, and he fully embraces Hampton’s mannerisms and speech, creating a wholly realized vision (the actor himself becomes almost unrecognizable). The script is the weakest link, which is rare when so many of the other elements combine to create a cohesive vision. King and Will Berson‘s co-authored screenplay is too complicated, resulting in a stagnant film that takes more than an hour to hit its stride. Everything is painfully slow until then, with Berson and King taking far too long to tell the story. You can feel the admiration here, but the reverence towards their characters is so high that it impedes them from driving the story forward. There’s a horrifying scene that tells the end of Hampton’s life story, an awful and upsetting act of injustice at the hands of law enforcement. It’s just one of the things that makes “Judas and the Black Messiah” an important narrative for current times, when so many people of color are still fighting for equality. I just wish the storytelling had been tightened a bit.

I haven't seen a dramatic movie that talks so clearly about the Black Panther Party, clearly its chief and its members are the conspiracy that was hatched by party members. The movie talks about the rise and fall of the Black Panther movement. If you are a fan of dramatic films with a flavor of documentaries, you should watch the movie. For a period almost centuries ago, Americans with black skin suffered from obtaining their rights, and this was also forbidden to be reflected in a dramatic, dramatic or documentary film. In America on the issue of racism and addressing it, perhaps because of the demonstrations that took place in America after the killing of George Floyd by the American company and the return of racism again to the American street. The film begins in 1969, one year after the assassination of Martin Luther King, King. This assassination changed many of the party's priorities and its goal became the overthrow of the US government by announcing the revolutionary struggle. That is why President Nixon decided during this period to eliminate the party by all possible means, legal and illegal. Many American artists sympathized with the Black Panther Party during this period. For example, the artist Jude Fonda visited the party's headquarters and declared her support for the party. Even the international star Marlin Brendo gave a speech to a large gathering of party members. Judas and the Black Messiah What is meant metaphorically by Judas in the movie is Bill O'Neal and the Black Messiah is Fred Hampton, and in general it is a projection of the story of Judas' betrayal of Christ and his handing over to the Jews. Contrary to the image that we see in other films that talk about racism against blacks, the film didn't attack white people, but rather attacked certain American institutions. The movie tried to tell the story honestly without distorting history. We saw white groups join the Black Panther Party, and here the traditional form of this type of film was broken. There is no real conflict between whites and blacks. There are a lot of revolutionary poetry and social justice, but the script was formulated correctly. The movie did not make us feel like a show movie, but rather it was a logical narration without adding spices. The story was told through the villain or the hero, and this added a new dimension to the movie. The film's director, Shaka King, performed a classy tribute to black women through the character of Deborah Johnson, and we saw how women help the men of the party in thought, knowledge, and armed struggle. The performance of the actors in general was remarkable and worthy of appreciation, and there was a very beautiful harmony between the characters. Daniel Kaluuya performed the character of Fred Hampton with utmost brilliance and deserved the Golden Globe Award well deserved, as well as the wonderful performance of LaKeith Stanfield, which showed the contradictions of the traitor Bill O'Neal. The characters I was most impressed with are Bill O'Neal, his looks are full of fear, anxiety, and a sense of shame, especially since Fred Hampton does not know his betrayal. Really It is one of the most successful movies in 2021