"BlacKkKlansman" is woke, outspoken and a film inspired by true events that forces White America to deal with the fact that racism is built in the DNA of the Land of the Free.
Rating: 4/5
Set in the seventies, "BlacKkKlansman" finds Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) joining the Colorado police force and infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan chapter in their area with the help of a white surrogate, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver).
America is currently in a very tense political space with racial tensions being at an all-time high. Mostly due to that orange reality star of a president giving racist white Americans the freedom to let their prejudice flags fly. Specifically, when it comes to police brutality and the overall treatment of black people in the country. "BlacKkKlansman" sheds light on not only police brutality but looks at how little change has happened in America when it comes to how racists are dealt with in general.
Director Spike Lee really made a compelling film that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Using both imagery and filming techniques from blacksploitation films in a very stylised approach. The acting is also pretty good with both Driver and Washington giving great performances. With it being a nice change seeing Driver not being angsty 90% of the time in a film. The supporting cast also comes to the party with everyone being very believable.
However, it’s the message that director Spike Lee shares that really makes this a joy to watch. A lot of the time when filmmakers try to make films with social commentary it can come across inauthentic, not well thought out or just too subliminal. Lee takes the bull by the horns being very loud in what he is trying to convey. America is racist, it has been racist and until white America accepts this and acknowledges it no real change is truly going to happen. And Lee drove this home at the very end of the film capping it off with footage from the Charlottesville Neo-Nazi rally.
This is a film that is both enjoyable and intelligent with director Spike Lee making one of the most thought-provoking films of the year. "BlacKkKlansman" truly is a gem of a film that deserves all the praise.