BlacKkKlansman Review.

BlacKkKlansman

That '70s Show will never be the same again.

BlacKkKlansman is a film that deals with prejudice, racism and evil yet somehow is perhaps the funniest movie to come out this year. Yes, this is a Spike Lee film, or as he puts it a Spike Lee joint. Lee has never been a man to make films that follow the rulebook. The director’s style is perfectly displayed in Do the Right Thing, released in 1989, a film that may be hilarious but never lets you forget the important issues that will leave you with Goosebumps. That’s what I always admired about the directors’ work, no matter how uproariously funny his films may be, Lee will never let you forget that there are more important issues at hand. Unfortunately, Lee has gone down a career slope the last few years, his remake of Asian cinema classic Oldboy is amongst the worst remakes I’ve ever seen. The arrival of BlacKkKlansman comes at a time where racial tension is a boiling point possibly the worst it’s been since the 70s. So, does Lee overcome his slump and deliver a film that strikes hard?

BlacKkKlansman tells the remarkable true story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) the first black man to serve in the Colorado police department who sets out to infiltrate and expose the KKK with the help of Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver). This film will make you flinch, the film does not shy away from the horrors that the African Americans experienced during the 70s. The dialogue in the film will make you flinch, there are countless uses of the N word and many other derogatory terms. Lee wants to make his audience Aware that these words were not just said once in passing but people like Stallworth were bombarded with these words in public and their own workplace. The script was written by Spike Lee, Kevin Willmott, David Rabinowitz and Charlie Wachtel. Besides Lee I’ve never heard of the other writer’s previous work, but they nail this movie. They show that the discrimination by the KKK was aimed at every single minority. Zimmerman also must hide his Jewish heritage even though his religion never played a part in his life before. The writers create a film where every character must go on a moral journey that could result in death. This is all very heavy stuff, yet this film is hysterical. I laughed at this film more than any comedy this year, the actors all have terrific comedic chops, they bounce off each other in a way that results in the theatre erupting in laughter. Lee and everyone else involved have created a film that will have you crying, laughing and gasping with shock in a way that makes BlacKkKlansman unlike any other film this year.

The first act of the film which focuses on him getting accustomed to the police department is where the lead character shines the most. Stallworth never changes who he is to appease his co-workers and higher ups. Seeing him make form bonds and friendships with his co-workers while having to deal with racism in the workplace is riveting. Stallworth is an electric lead, boosted by an excellent performance by John David Washington. The son of Denzel gives a performance that his father would be proud of.  Washington is a mater of facial expressions, you can tell exactly what he is feeling just by looking at him. Since Zimmerman is the one in the field of duty for their mission, it leaves Stallworth observing hats going on. Many other actors would struggle with this role, but Washington manages to act with his emotions to perfection. Washington is going to achieve big things in Hollywood, this is a leading man who we could be seeing a lot of in the coming years. If he keeps choosing projects like this he may just develop a resume as impressive as his fathers.

Adam Driver is my pick for Best Supporting Actor at next year’s Oscars based off his stellar performance as Zimmerman. Driver is the one dealing with the Klan, seeing him trying to infiltrate them is terrifying. Driver is the funniest of the cast and once again is my favourite part of a movie. The actor manages to lift every film he’s in to new heights, to be perfectly honest I’d probably hate the new Star Wars series if it wasn’t for his turn as Kylo Ren who I believe is a villain nearly on par with Vader.  Washington and Driver are amazing together and are a double act for the ages. Laura Harrier as Patrice is another supporting character who is excellent. Patrice is a devout activist who never gives up on her morals. The relationship between her and Stallworth is compelling as they have contrasting opinions on how they should get liberty. I really appreciate that the film never makes either of the two characters give up their principles just for love. It’s a rare thing to do in a film and one I admire it for doing.

Let’s talk about the villains in this movie, the word villain doesn’t even do justice to scum that the KKK are. Surprisingly, David Duke isn’t in as much of the film as advertised. Topher Grace does really good job as the former grand wizard. The actors iconic clean-cut look is perfect for the illusion that the character was trying to make on the press. Grace is a top villain and seeing dressed in the robes and leading horrific chants left me numb, the actor re-edited the Hobbit trilogy into one film to help him recover from the part. Jasper Pääkkönen plays a member of the Klan called Felix who is the main antagonist of the film. The character is easy to hate, everything about him is scummy, even his marriage is tough to watch. The actor at times goes a little too hammy for my liking. The Klan in general may be played a little too much for laughs, there’s one character who’s only trait is burping. I feel that a more serious version of the KKK would have displayed their evil more accurately but at the same time these guys aren’t meant to be supervillains. These are just ordinary men who unite based off their bigotry and prejudice. I’m interested to find out if Lee chose to portray the KKK like this because it’s entertaining or because this is what they were like.

BlacKkKlansman is one of my favourite movies of the year so far. Spike Lee has finally made his comeback after years of mediocrity. With a film that is awesome. The outfits and the soundtrack scream 70s in a way that is cool, thankfully not obnoxious. Some of the choices in his direction aren’t what I’d do personally, there’s a Trump reference which feels very forced, but overall, I respect Lee for once again sticking to his vision. I recommend everyone seeing this film for the ending alone. No spoilers here but when the credits roll you’ll be left with a lump in you throat and the hairs on the back of your neck risen.  It’s the most powerful two minutes of film that I have seen in a long time. Get yourself down to your cinema now to see BlacKkKlansman, have a look at what history allowed to happen. This film will leave you uneasy and anxious, just don’t forget this is a true story.

Liam’s BlacKkKlansman Summary

Best Moment: The scene where Washington teaches Driver how to impersonate him is hilarious.

Worst Moment: The Trump call out unfortunately doesn’t work.

Best Character: I honestly can’t choose between Stallworth or Zimmerman. They are ELECTRIC together.

Worst Character: Fred Weller plays a racist cop who at times is just a cartoon character.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5