Judas And The Black Messiah: An Electrically-Charged Biopic
Writer/director Shaka King explodes into the mainstream with his electrically charged biopic, Judas And The Black Messiah. Bolstered by powerhouse performances from Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, and Jesse Plemons, King’s sure-handed style and the film’s character-driven focus keep this biographical drama fresh despite its familiarities.
Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Black Panther Party per FBI Agent Mitchell and J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen). As Party Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) ascends, falling for a fellow revolutionary en route, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul.
Cinema has no shortage of films about someone infiltrating an organized group, but Shaka King’s strong voice — in addition to the film’s many terrific performances — keep Judas And The Black Messiah from being just another infiltrator flick. Somewhat of a cross between BlacKkKlansman, The Departed, and Donnie Brasco, the film tells the fascinating and frustrating true story about how the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton, was betrayed by an FBI informant who infiltrated his inner circle. And as if the egregious events surrounding Fred Hampton’s death weren’t profoundly sad enough, King also cleverly focuses on FBI Informant William O'Neal as he wrestles with good and evil, burning this tragedy-steeped tale from both ends.
In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, this could be reduced to a boring, paint-by-numbers biopic, but King gives Judas And The Black Messiah an interesting slant and an emotional charge. It doesn’t quite hit the same operatic highs as The Departed or BlacKkKlansman, but King’s assured direction captures some of that Scorsese/Lee energy. While the film shows us glimpses of Hampton’s life, mainly as he falls in love with Deborah Johnson, a fellow BPP member, these moments are specifically engineered around creating a more emotional impact; we spend a majority of the film firmly rooted in O'Neal’s perspective, watching as he wriggles and writhes under the pressure of being an imposter. It’s nothing that you haven’t seen before, but it’s done so incredibly well, it’s difficult to take your eyes off the screen.
In addition to directing the film, King also served as the film’s producer and co-wrote the script with Will Berson. The duo complement each other nicely and find an incredibly compelling way to shape the narrative. They fill the script with superb monologues about revolution, which capture the spirit of Hampton’s activism, and scenes that effectively probe into O’Neal’s eroding psychology. Despite the familiar story beats, Berson and King’s writing shines brightly and is amplified by the performers and King’s smart direction. Take the film’s gruesome climax as an example. By situating the camera outside the room where Hampton lays helplessly unconscious and focusing on Dominique Fishback’s stoic reaction (who plays Deborah Johnson), King creates a far more emotionally resonate gut-punch of a conclusion (which is further enhanced by the film’s denouement) that puts equal emphasis on performance and story.
The film is littered with many excellent scenes, but far and away the most electrifying involve the speeches Daniel Kaluuya delivers, which will likely have you shouting “I AM a revolutionary!” at your TV screen. Kaluuya has consistently proven his ability to deliver commanding performances, but his portrayal of Fred Hampton may just be his best performance to date. Anytime he’s present, he burns up the screen — and this even happens in quietest moments as well, when he’s all eyes and body language. Stanfield gives an excellent performance as well. He really makes O’Neal’s struggle feel palpable. Despite all the bad things he’s done, we wind up feeling very empathetic for him. Jessie Plemons also provides excellent support, leveraging his strengths as an affable nice guy and subdued terror. Fishback also illuminates the screen and gives the film a sweet tenderness.
Overall, Judas And The Black Messiah is a mesmerizing film that focuses on an interesting slice of history, which should be more widely discussed. Its emphasis on character, rather than merely events, set it apart from many of its peers, and the performances raise the project to a whole other level. After witnessing King’s confident abilities here, we’re very eager to see what he does next.
Recommendation: Absolutely check this one out on Max while you can! The charged performances are worth the watch alone.
Rating: 4.5 electric speeches outta 5.
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