Synopsis

Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.

Review

When I saw this film for the first time, I tweeted the following...

"WOW is all I can say. The best kind of filmmaking... RAW, HONEST, REAL, FIERY, HEARTBREAKING are just the first words that come to mind. All parties involved deserve awards recognition... WOW."

That's a strong reaction to a film you've seen for the first time, right? Well, 8 days later, I still feel this same way, and I strongly believe it's the way you will fell when you experience this film.

I will admit, my expectations were low. I hadn't heard of the film's director and I had seen that several comedians and comedic actors were involved with the project, most notably The Lucas Brothers, Kenny and Keith, who hold "Story by" credits. I thought that the film would be wildly tonally imbalanced and that many of the characters would feel like caricatures. I mean, when you put three of the main actors from Get Out, two of whom star as the two main characters, in a film about Fred Hampton and the FBI Investigation that led to his murder, what do you expect me to think?

I was INCREDIBLY wrong. I'm sorry, okay? Don't vilify me. (Once you see this, you'll be like "Why would you ever think that?"... I DON'T KNOW, OKAY???)

Judas and the Black Messiah is a raw, honest, and heartbreaking portrayal of betrayal to the largest extent. I remarked when the film was over, "That is a fantastic title." And it is. It captures the story the filmmakers try to tell perfectly. 

I didn't know much about this story before seeing this film. I was familiar with Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and how he was specifically targeted by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, but I did not know anything about the events leading up to his murder. Apparently, William O'Neal (played excellently by LaKeith Stanfield, but more on that later), under pressure from the FBI and in an effort to dispel a jail sentence, infiltrates Hampton's offices and becomes an informant. He effectively becomes Hapmton's chauffeur, allowing him close access to all things Fred Hampton. It's an engrossing story that kept me interested, even separate from the beautiful filmmaking. It's a story that, also, I'm sure you'll never learn about in school. 

The film is great in its documentation of history. It is really good at talking about a lot of the good the the Black Panther Party did in areas like Chicago, where this film takes place. They started education programs for children, afterschool programs, ways to feed the hungry. In their effort to get all power for all the people, they formed a coalition with other similar groups like the  Young Lords that were all committed to freeing themselves from the oppressive American society. They even partnered with a white group because, with them being impoverished, they both had similar intentions. The film also uses a good bit of historical footage to back up the argument. It reminded me of a Spike Lee film in that way.

Outside of its story, though, the film succeeds greatly. The performances are fantastic. Daniel Kaluuya, who plays Chairman Fred Hampton, is rightfully receiving HUGE amounts of awards buzz and is leading in the race for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars (supporting because the film focuses more on O'Neill's character). He injects the Chairman with a great fire that you can see at all moments but he is able to really bring it home in the emotional scenes, particularly those with his girlfriend Deborah Johnson, played by Dominique Fishback. She is excellent, as well. 

However, I was most surprised by LaKeith Stanfield's performance. I know him most from the TV show Atlanta, so I knew him more in comedic roles. By the conclusion of this film, I thought that Stanfield was able to completely shed his traditional typecasting and really cement himself as a respected actor. He was excellent in this role. Even though Kaluuya has been getting the most buzz, it was Stanfield's performance that stayed with me the most after. Had this film been released outside of this awards cycle, he would be in the front of the Best Actor race, guaranteed.

Other standout elements include the cinematography by Sean Bobbitt, music, and the script. Rarely do I talk during movies, but I found myself multiple times audibly saying, "that's a great shot." There's a shot when the Chairman is being greeted at a door and also a shot before he gives his big speech when he leaves jail that were particularly memorable. I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack and I found myself really vibing to the songs they chose to use in this film. In terms of the script, it's the script that allows all of this to happen. The film is very well-written, but it's its words that give way to the excellent performances. It's its action description that give way to its use of historical footage and shot description. It is the film's bible, and I think the filmmakers have made something truly special with this film.

Had this film been released just a month ago, it would have made at least my Top 5 films of 2020 (list is coming soon by the way). But since it didn't, I can say that it is the best film of 2021 so far.