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Shaka King's well-made, gritty drama serves as a deeply thought-provoking look at the intersection of racial tensions and betrayal. Lakeith Stanfield plays William O'Neal, an FBI informant investigating Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya,) who was the chair of the Black Panther Party in Illinois. As O'Neal closes in more on Hampton and his inner circle, he is faced with a deep crisis as to whether to turn in valuable information on Hampton to authorities. The film is a tightly-made analysis of racial unrest as well as the true horrors of white supremacy and the systemic functions that uphold it.
The performances are outstanding across the board, conveying clear emotion and vital urgency in their roles. Kaluuya is particularly outstanding as Hampton, and his acting brings each scene he is in to a gripping, powerful crescendo. I always thought Kaluuya was an outstanding actor after seeing his leading performance in "Get Out" as well as his menacing supporting performance as a criminal villain in Steve McQueen's "Widows," but here he is able to authentically and completely show a unique new range of his acting talents. The film's gritty cinematography is powerful and sublime, enhancing the mood of the film. Well-written dialogue not only serves as a form of character development here, but also clearly to provoke thoughts. King's direction and sense of tone are both also great, showing an outstanding sense of dramatic tension. While the film's pacing can sometimes be a bit uneven, the film's narrative is overall finely crafted--and well worth seeing. 8/10
score 8/10
bastille-852-731547 12 February 2021
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw6587316/ |
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12-2-2021 03:43:03
