BlacKkKlansman (2018) ***1/2
With BlacKkKlansman (2018), Spike Lee deftly tackles difficult subject matter by battling it with humor and it mostly works. The film has its moments of gravitas and, obviously, those of a disturbing nature, but I do think that some of the characters are presented as a bit too oafish (though, sadly, probably not that unrealistically). BK actually plays more like a (funny) cop drama or a blaxploitation film than a true biography (and if I'm not mistaken a lot of the events portrayed are exaggerated or invented for the silver screen).
The lead actors, color palette, production design and soundtrack are all excellent (though the score by Lee's longtime collaborator Terence Blanchard falls short of feeling authentically 70s). Striking, drifting closeups of the faces of black college students, audience members during a speech, are particularly beautiful and a highlight. While the recent real-life footage that closes BK feels relevant to the topic, it also feels a bit tacked on, given that we've spent the majority of the film laughing and then the tone shifts greatly. Outside of that, Spike accomplishes a great feat—to entertain a broad audience with a film that clearly has an agenda, while also (mostly) authentically presenting both sides of two groups who have directly opposed viewpoints and beliefs.
The lead actors, color palette, production design and soundtrack are all excellent (though the score by Lee's longtime collaborator Terence Blanchard falls short of feeling authentically 70s). Striking, drifting closeups of the faces of black college students, audience members during a speech, are particularly beautiful and a highlight. While the recent real-life footage that closes BK feels relevant to the topic, it also feels a bit tacked on, given that we've spent the majority of the film laughing and then the tone shifts greatly. Outside of that, Spike accomplishes a great feat—to entertain a broad audience with a film that clearly has an agenda, while also (mostly) authentically presenting both sides of two groups who have directly opposed viewpoints and beliefs.
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