Do The Spike Thing.
135 Mins. Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Corey Hawkins, Alec Baldwin & Topher Grace. Director: Spike Lee.
This is America. Time to fight the power. It's your time children of the Gambino generation. The land of the free? To quote Brad Pitt in 'Killing Them Softly', "don't make me laugh"! All you have to do is hear 'The Donald' quacking his Trumped up speech in reaction to last years terrifying and tragic events in Charlottesville, Virgina that saw protesters being mowed down repeatedly and a young woman by the name of Heather Heyer (Rest Peacefully) lose her life. Even as he toes the line you can hear him take a specific side with the words that in reality if he meant, he should have chosen much more carefully. Free at last? It again tragically looks like the world will have to wait a little longer. And as we ask, "how long"? Can we really reply, "not long" anymore? These real world, all too true story clips of neo-Nazi's and white supremacists carrying burning crosses and the fire that comes after makes for an abrupt and meaningly so powerful and poignant end to a powerful and poignant film. One that shows you no matter the moral victory, as 'College Dropout' Kanye West once said when it was 'Jesus Walks' and not Yeezus tweets, "racism still alive". But now they aint even concealing it anymore. To start this joint based on something as real as it gets, Spike Lee takes it back to a clip from 'Gone With The Wind' which features a confederate flag flapping in the air above a battlefield. You may remember Hattie McDaniel won a 'Best Supporting Actress' Oscar for that picture. The first African-American to win an Academy Award. Don't forget, she wasn't invited to the actual movies premiere. Criminal. And in turning the red, white and blue all the way upside down, Lee turns this all inside out with his brutal best and most influential and incendiary movie in years. Not to take anything from the Iraq war torn like Chicago social study of 'Chi-Raq', his 'She's Gotta Have It', Netflix series revival, or his criminally underrated remake of the Korean classic, 'Oldboy' starring Thanos himself, Josh Brolin with a hammer to nail. And to begin, following the worst kind of P.S.A. from the 'Fallout' of 'Mission: Impossible' star Alec Baldwin, Spike sets the fuse off.
Get ready for the explosion! Because what looks like Spike Lee's most outrageous script idea yet is actually a true story based on the memoir and searing story of former detective Ron Stallworth, who went undercover like no other to take down the Klan in the most non-violent, Martin Luther way. Like a King he humiliates the Colorado chapter of the Klu Klux into clucking obscurity. Making and marking another change for this defiant and definitive director whose exciting and enthralling movie doesn't descend into rival Tarantino 'Unchained', 'Basterds' like revenge violence pornography. As a matter of fact neither did the bank robbery heist of his last real hit job, 'Inside Man'. Barely a bullet is fired and that's the shot he takes. His most iconic yet, guns drawn, dolly shot trademark (check his spotlit new, terrific technique of managing a crowd during a speech featuring a rhapsody of bohemian faces) making for the closest thing you get to actual chamber music from those pistols. And this holstering is really saying something in a movie full of messages. Some subtle, some C-4 bomb dropping. This 'BlackKklansman' answers a newspaper ad that hits his desk from the K.K.K. looking to recruit members under the hood. He picks up the phone, turns the dial and makes a shot in the dark call. Putting on his best 'Sorry To Bother' voice and pronouncing "WHite" like Leonardo DiCaprio's 'Django' vile villain Calvin Candie would condescendingly, Stallworth uses his real name, but fakes being a racist that hates blacks, Jews, Mexicans and anyone whose blood doesn't run Aryan. Not having a clue that this gentleman is African-American...let alone a cop, the Klan are ready to measure him for robes. But there's only so long Ron can stay in that disguise, so he recruits another beat cop to partner up with him for this undercover op as one. But it's not so simple as his buddy in this sting may be white...but he's also Jewish. And just to keep us all up to speed, this absurd story that sounds almost like that controversial Dave 'Chappelle Show' skit about the blind, black white supremacist is all too unbelievable, but all too true too.
Even this years Oscar winning 'Best Director' Jordan Peele producing this joint saw this idea and thought, 'Get Out'. But Key's other half isn't doing comedies right now. Sure this will have you laughing out loud and it's sweet satire for a sickening time. But again this is as close to the bone, flesh and blood as it gets. From the seventies soundtrack to it's authentic aesthetic and all that sweet, sweet style...not to mention that afro. This looks like a vintage blaxploitation flick and this film throwback poster to poster pays tribute and respect to all the 'Shaft' and 'Foxy Brown' greats in traditional and trademark, Lee convo confidential direction. And even the 'Ballers' T.V. star John David Washington, owning this role looks like he's been here for years. He kind of has though. Over 25 years ago back in 1992 he played a small student role in Spike Lee's 'Malcolm X' alongside Denzel Washington. Same last name. Wouldn't you have it. And yes you've got it, John David is Denzel's son. And in the same week as his pops 'Equalizer 2' vigilante hitman hit sequel comes out, the son echoing shades of the father here (that simmering below the surface intensity. Especially in those eyes. And of course the "Okay's") is actually going up against his old man with a gun, with his badge. Washington J.D. reaches all new heights showing us he's his own man too. And after Spike brought so many of his and Denzel's best classics in their perfect partnership ('Malcom', 'Mo Better Blues', 'He Got Game', 'Inside Man'), this 'BlackKklansman' may be among the 'Do The Right Thing', '25th Hour', 'Clockers' and the aforementioned greatest of his all-time roll of joints. This is the truest the man who even made 'Bad' Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant documentaries has been doin' work when not courtside at the Garden of basketball eden. It's thanks to a class cast too. Like Kylo Ren, Adam Driver on the 'Paterson', 'Silence' and 'Logan Lucky' form of his life, crossing over to an even darker side. One particular 'Meet The Parents' like basement lie-detector test mocks the Klans stupid ignorance with hilarious consequences of circumstance. How about 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' queen Laura Harrier playing a real Black Panther in the year of T'Challa? 'Spider-Man 3' before Hardy, Venom villain Topher Grace playing the Grand Wizard, David Duke with convincing between the sheets warped, behind the desk running for political office malice spit. And 'Straight Outta Compton's' Dr. Dre, Corey Hawkins too is stirring with his speech as political activist Kwame Ture. There's even a classic cameo of cameos from an iconic actor/singer and activist with his own sombering speech that we don't want to spoil. But we will say this, Bob Dylan said this legend of a man taught him everything he knows. So there you have it. What more could you ask for? How about justice? Because until this is seen, Spike Lee won't have or let mainstream America have peace. This dynamite, dynamic director says he wants to "Make America Love Again"! It doesn't get mo' better than that, or this. Power to Spike Lee. Power to the people! Now do the right thing. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Malcom X', 'Get Out', 'Sorry To Bother You'.
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