A- | A biopic of Malcolm X, fairly self-explanatory Directed by Spike Lee Starring Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, and Al Freeman, Jr Initial Review by JR Peters |
As with the last movie I reviewed, School Daze, this movie was directed by Spike Lee. With most of Lee’s movies, he attempts to make an impact with the opening credits and he successfully does it with this opening. Showing the beating of Rodney King with a Denzel-voiced Malcolm X speech playing over it provides us with a reality that even though it has been decades since his death, his message is still just as relevant. I have no doubt that if Lee were to release this movie in 2017 he would have plenty of footage to work with in this instance. Eric Garner, Terence Crutcher, Philando Castile as well as many others.