*Editor’s Note: Excerpts of this review could be perceived as expressions of personal views on matters of current public debate and consideration. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Irish Film Critic.
The story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal.
Generally speaking, Hollywood fumbles biopics by conveniently overlooking systematic issues and fetishizing the lead character’s struggle. With a clear eye, “Judas and the Black Messiah” covers the Black Panthers’ response to institutional racism and capitalism, the FBI’s subversive war on Civil Rights leaders, and Leftists with its COINTELPRO operation.
The Year is 1968, JFK, Malcolm X, MLK are all gone and the Vietnam War rages on. Nixon, with the help of infamous FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), begins cracking down on anyone criticizing the country’s politics. The film’s editor, Kristan Sprague, seamlessly blends archival footage introducing the history of the Panthers leading to Hoover decrying Fred Hampton and other members to a room full of FBI agents. A brilliant opening. Among the agents is Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons), a strong-jawed former Marine and veteran of the Korean War – a man willing to do anything to serve the bureau especially if it advances his career.
Tall and scrappy with shifty eyes, Bill O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) is arrested with charges of impersonating a federal agent while committing grand theft auto. Agent Mitchell enters the interrogation room and after some silver tongue coaxing, he allows the criminal to go home free. The catch is he must infiltrate the Black Panthers. O’Neal isn’t political, he only cares about his survival.
Introduced with a charming smirk under a camouflaged bucket hat, 20-year-old Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) is magnetic. He breaks down the struggles of class in his speech and decries capitalism saying “no matter the job, labor is exploited.” Hampton pours over Marxist-Leninist theory, the writings of WEB Dubois, and other intellectuals. He memorizes speeches by Malcolm X and MLK in an attempt to capture their charisma of which he had plenty. After speaking, he’s approached by Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback) a poet he is in awe of. The pair have chemistry and immediately start a touching relationship.
Meanwhile, O’Neal begins attending Panther meetings, even helping serve breakfast during their charitable Free Food Programs that feed underprivileged local citizens. Hampton and the Panthers’ goal is to provide food and healthcare on a citywide level. Agent Mitchell is quite pleased with his informer becoming more trusted in his undercover role and ignores his opinion that “these ain’t no terrorists.”
When Hampton looks to build a rainbow coalition involving an integrated solidified movement of Young Patriots (white working class) and local Chicago gangs, the sights are set on him. Special Agent Carlyle (Robert Longstreet) lets his own separate informant within the organization commit a litany of crimes so anytime he’s housed by a Panther office, they can be raided for harboring a fugitive. A truly transparent display of the justice system’s intentional loopholes that allow them to continually squelch collective community movements against organizations of unjust power. Scenes with Hoover contain a searing gaze through the United States’ dark history as he lays out various “enemies” of the state and champions the Bureau’s cozy relationship with the CIA. In recently released files, Hoover unconstitutionally used diabolical tactics to bring down Malcolm X and Martin Luther King along with anyone preaching leftist action or racial unity.
The trifecta of Kaluuya, Stanfield, and Plemons matches the force of the film’s remarkable energy. They’re some of the best working actors – all are superb. It’s certainly easy and justified to despise Stanfield’s character but he plays it with an immense amount of depth. I recently read ‘The Assassination of Fred Hampton’ by Jeffrey Haas (an incredible lawyer who fought for his justice) where he mentions O’Neal was enigmatic but a traitor nonetheless. Kaluuya’s performance as the legendary figure is exhilarating and grounded. At the Premiere’s Q&A, Fred Hampton Jr. mentioned being stricken by Kaluuya’s movements and cadence while also thankful for the script’s historical accuracy. Hampton Jr. and his mother Akua Njeri (formerly known as Deborah Johnson) oversaw the production and kept every name and moment as it happened.
This is a masterpiece because director Shaka King follows the three rules of a great biopic: educate, inspire, and last but not least, entertain. Even knowing the ending I was overwhelmed by his approach. His style, crafted with cinematographer Sean Bobbit, is realistic-looking but entrenched in neo-noir. There are subtle shades of greens, reds, and blues hovering over most of the scenes. Watching these color schemes represents Police lights and other markers of American oppression.
I read in 2006 an alderman in Chicago wanted to honor the activist with a street named Fred Hampton Way. It was set to pass when suddenly the Fraternal Order of Police blocked it. These seemingly small but symbolic pushbacks are a reminder that we should continue the work to make the world better, in honor of Fred Hampton.
“Judas and the Black Messiah” recently premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival
and will be available in Select Theaters and on HBO Max Friday, February 12th
