Spike Lee is back with his most powerful and best film in years with ‘BlacKkKlansman’

By JASON GUYER
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Spike Lee’s films have always been important, especially socially important. “Jungle Fever” and “He Got Game,” for example, and few are more socially important than “Malcolm X.” 

So far, this has been the year of socially important films. Spurred on by the political climate in 2018, especially surrounding President Trump, storytellers like Spike Lee feel the need to stand up and speak out. When film is your medium, as it is for Spike Lee, then that medium becomes your voice. “BlacKkKlansman” is as vocal a film you will see, ever.

It follows the true story of an American police officer Ron Stallworth (John David Washington). Stalworth was the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department.  As Stallworth sets out to prove himself, he bravely infiltrates and exposes the Ku Klux Klan.  Along with his partner Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), the duo take down the extremist hate group as the organization aims to sanitize its violent rhetoric to appeal to the mainstream. 

John David Washington, the son of Denzel Washington, stars as the lead Ron Stallworth. As charismatic as his father, Washington carries the load in “BlacKkKlansman.” Listen hard enough and you can hear Denzel’s voice in John David’s, and there is a little nostalgia there for those of us who miss the “Malcolm X” version of Denzel and are not a fan of  the “Equalizer 2” version of Denzel.

Being the face of a racial important film is no easy task and while it seems to run in the family, John David in “BlacKkKlansman” is no Denzel in “Malcolm X.” Malcolm X the person is a historical figure important to a historic movement in the United States. Ron Stallworth and his experience is not necessarily historically important, it is however socially important. Even more so in The United States in 2018 than maybe it was in Colorado Springs circa 1972. Especially, the specific story of Ron Stallworth and the extremist right group of the Klu Klux Klan.

John David Washington ropes the audience into Ron Stallworth’s story and the complexities of being the first African-American officer in the Colorado Springs Police Department, all with the same enigmatic charm and smile his father had in his roles.

Although it is probably not fair to compare the two, it is hard not to, especially since John David reminds you in “BlacKkKlansman” of his fathers most famous role in “Malcolm X” and both were directed by the same man, Spike Lee. 

Lee is back at his best directing “BlacKkKlansman” and it seems socially arresting films are his forte. Comparing Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” to his best work, “Malcolm X,” is just as hard as not seeing Denzel in the acting of John David. 

Lee also still has the poetic touch. During the film’s opening act, there is a scene in which a Black Panther member gives a speech, and the camera work, directing, and editing from Lee is as poetic as cinema gets. The shots of the faces of the crowd during the peak moments of the Panther member’s speech is poetry in motion and as visually affecting as I have seen in film. Putting faces on the egregious acts of racism and the ideologies that condemn them is trenchantly impactful and heavily emotional. The ability to handle such topics in a tasteful and artful way is Spike Lee’s filmmaking super power. 

Finding the line between truthfully aware or truthfully condemning can be the difference between engrossing an audience or alienating one. Lee puts on a masterclass of tastefully and tactfully presenting social issues without punishing the viewer but by simply showing the viewer. “BlacKkKlansman” is one of the most powerful films on race relations in the United States you will ever see.

One could fault Lee for some of his directing choices or story choices. “BlacKkKlansman” is in no way a perfect film. Lee did make some questionable directing choices and story choices. The film never had to be perfect to be great though, not when your dealing with such socially important material.

“BlacKkKlansman” gave me and every audience member in my theater the most gut-wrenchingly truthful, socially powerful, and important five minutes in film history. Even using all the words that I did above to describe the ending of “BlacKkKlansman” does not do it justice. Internally, I was crying and emotionally unraveled through the entire ending. Externally, I was frozen, stuck in the uncomfortably truthful reality that is Donald Trump in 2018.

The genius behind “BlacKkKlansman” and the story of Ron Stallworth is how relevant it is today, in 2018. Lee’s is the only person who could have made “BlacKkKlansman” and made it as impactfully powerful as it was.

Showing the events of the Charlottesville in 2017 in raw unedited form, comparing the entire racial rhetoric of the KKK in 1972 to the current racial rhetoric hidden behind a “nationalism” movement in American politics in 2108 is emotionally confrontative.

My favorite genius moment of Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” was just as you’re confronted with the racial rhetoric from 2017/2018, the powerful ending, and the death of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville. Cut to Silence. The Credits-cut to complete silence to leave you there confronting your emotions and everything you just witnessed.

My whole theater was dead silent after the ending of “BlacKkKlansman.” I have never heard a theater quieter. Then after a few seconds, seemingly out of nowhere, thunderous applause. Myself included. In the end the only part of “BlacKkKlansman” that had to be perfect is the films message, and it was.

 

IRATE SCORE: 5/5

Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the Graphics Department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected]