Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Judas and the Black Messiah tells the true story of William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) who is hired by the FBI to infiltrate the Black Panther Party and bring down the chairman of the Illinois chapter, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).
Going in, I knew very little about this portion of the Black Panthers’ history but watching Judas felt like an important historical lesson. Although, I’ve yet to educate myself on any historical inaccuracies the film may carry. Will Berson and Shaka King’s screenplay is impeccable and engaging. Even when scenes feel like they go on a little too long, I was still intrigued and excited to learn what followed.
The Male Lead Duo and the Director
You may have heard a lot about Daniel Kaluuya’s performance, and quite right too. It’s absolutely fantastic and unlike anything he has done before. However, Judas and the Black Messiah is an ensemble masterpiece. It quite possibly features the best casting any film has had in decades. Every actor slips right into the shoes of their characters, so much so that they draw you deep into the film from the get-go.
The performances in Judas are so strong that it feels more like a documentary than a biopic. If you thought Kaluuya gave a career-defining performance in Get Out, then be prepared for Judas. So much can be said about his performance as Chairman Fred Hampton. Let me just sum it up in two words: Academy Award. The Oscar-buzz for Kaluuya is the main driving force behind this film and yes, I believe he has a high chance of winning.
However, my favourite performance was not given by Kaluuya, but by Stanfield. I believe he deserves just as much praise as Kaluuya, although sadly he’s not receiving as much buzz as his co-star. Within Stanfield, we see just how conflicted O’Neal becomes while continuing to look out for his best interests, creating an interesting “will-he/won’t he” guessing game, and that’s when Stanfield isn’t sharing scenes with Kaluuya. Together, they create moments filled with faceted gravitas, unlike any other recent performances, and draw the audience into the film so much that you feel like you’re stepping on their toes.
King is a relatively new director and completely new to me. However, in watching the film I thought he probably had a string of success under his belt. In reality, it’s only his second feature film but first to receive wide distribution. In one swoop, he shows that he has what it takes to become the next Spike Lee. He does so by creating a masterfully acted motion picture that makes me wonder just how he managed to get everyone who graces the screen to give a solid 10 out of 10 performance.
Judas and the Black Messiah is not without its shortcomings. As I mentioned previously, some scenes do feel a little drawn out but the editing, writing, and direction are so exquisite that even these scenes have been perfectly cut so that the audience never feels bored and are usually followed-up by more engaging scenes. The scenes I found to be drawn out are few and far between. When they were over I found myself immediately back on the edge of my seat wondering whether O’Neal would be revealed to be an FBI informant or whether he would truly join his brothers.
Two Dominiques
Dominique Fishback and Dominique Thorne are two actresses I cannot leave out. Fishback portrays Deborah Johnson — Hampton’s partner and mother to his unborn child. Fishback’s role may seem small and insignificant at first glance, but don’t be so fooled. Even when she has short appearances or very little dialogue to say, she makes it her own, and her own is outstanding.
Thorne plays a more active role as fellow Black Panther member, Judy Harmon, a somewhat right-hand woman to Fred Hampton. The actress may disappear into the background at times due to the focus being on other characters, but when the script allows her the chance to step into the light, she doesn’t just steps – she LEAPS. She has a wonderful ability to juggle drama, action, and raw-emotion all at once and she does so without chewing the scenery or taking the audience’s attention away from other actors. She moulds in with the rest of the cast so well it felt like they had been comrades for years. Marvel Studios has chosen the best person to be their Ironheart, and I’m looking forward to what she and Fishback bring to the table in the future.
Judas and the Black Messiah is a prime example as to why the Academy Awards needs a Best Casting Direction category. Hopefully, the BAFTAs, who since last year do have such a category, have enough sense to honour the work of Alexa L. Fogel who cast the film. Although, given BAFTA’s track record with acknowledging the existence of Black films (or any films with PoC leads for that matter), it seems doubtful that Fogel will get the award she deserves.
If you’ve made it this far, then you already know that I can’t recommend Judas and the Black Messiah enough. It’s a powerful piece of art and will likely be taught in civil rights history classes in the near future. From King’s directing, Fogel’s casting, every on-screen performance, and Charlese Antoinette Jones’s accurate costume design, Judas drips and oozes with talent and is a prime example of masterful filmmaking.
