Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) / Manhattan (1979) : Capsule Reviews

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021): Daniel Kaluuya gives an electrifying performance in the powerful story

Daniel Kaluuya gives an electrifying performance in the powerful story of black panther leader Fred Hampton. This is the story of betrayal from the government to people, surviving to moral, self-centered to revolution—my rating 7/10.

Judas and messiah a biographical story of Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), a petty criminal involved in murdering black panther party leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). In the late 1960s, police arrested Bill for stealing a car. FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) offers to drop charges if he works undercover to imprison Fred Hampton. We see a little of Fred Hampton along with Bobby Seale in last year’s best picture, “The Trial of the Chicago 7“. With no choice left in his hands, Bill O’Neil begins infiltrating the Panthers in order to win his freedom. While Fred Hampton, deputy chairman of the national BPP (Black panther party), is working on a free breakfast, medical program. And forming Rainbow Coalition (multicultural movement).

Daniel Kaluuya’s performance and his powerful monologue are what holds the movie for me, an incredibly portrayed, powerful revolutionary character in his career-defining role. Lakeith Stanfield reunites with Daniel after “Get out.” Stanfield is already a rising star, even with the character that isn’t written with the same care as Hampton’s. Stanfield gives the best performance as deprived Bill O’Neal balances his emotions of guilt and dishonesty in order to his freedom.

To my surprise, the romance arc between Fred and Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback) perfectly blends in the story giving a soft side of Hampton and dramatizing the movie. Unfortunately, Dominique Fishback has only a little screen time.

Bill O’Neal to the FBI, when he asked why not a gun or knife, he said: “A badge is scarier than a gun.” There is no need to say Fred Hampton and BPP’s story is powerful, relevant, and inspirational. Judas and the Black Messiah is succeeded when it focuses on BPP and Hampton. But it couldn’t make me invested in the Bill O’Neil character, which is the movie’s primary story. The script doesn’t seem to balance its narrative between the two. The underdeveloped characters in the FBI department and scenes between O’Neill and Roy are not as impressive as possible, which resulted in a bit of a tedious second act right after Fred was arrested. However, after that movie immediately picks up pace giving a Kickstarting film of 2021.

Director:  Shaka King
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Genre:  Biography, Drama, History