Review of BlacKkKlansman (2018) by Mike D — 03 Sep 2018

Spike Lee's best film and possibly the one he's always needed to make. As a group of serious & borderline mischievous cops infiltrate a local KKK chapter they get in over their heads. They are always a moment from being found out and in real danger but also close to bringing down a sincerely awful and dangerous (but authentically played) group of racists.

The key instigator is the first black cop in this small town and while he's guiding the effort to gain trust and go deep in this Klan chapter via his white-Jewish cop counterpart, he's also undercover in a local black student union who is in the cross-hairs of this Klan chapter, leaving him able to help only by blowing his cover.

The film's historical context gives perspective of terms like 'America First' and 'Make America great Again' and the specific meanings these terms hold for white supremacists, and the parallels to the spread of this type of racist culture in present day are brought home undeniably in the films final minutes.

This film does something difficult: makes powerful political statements and provokes introspection without sacrificing riveting storytelling or believability. So many of Lee's films, for me, have been uneven in building a story that develops and pays off fully, but BlackkKlansman has none of these shortcomings.

It's an excellent work that elevates film to being both relevant and being Art. Give this man and this great cast the awards they deserve and more importantly send your friends to see this important film.