Review of BlacKkKlansman (2018) by Andrewburge — 29 Oct 2018

Spike Lee's newest "joint", based on some "fo’ real, fo’ real sh*t" is the type of film in which its creator constantly and repeatedly explains to you its ideas, in this case, making sure that we know without a shadow of a doubt that this is a film about the disgusting evils of white supremacists, specifically the Ku Klux Klan and the burdens of the Afro-American peoples. Yet its face-to-face presentation of these two communities, more specifically, a scene zig-zagging between a Klan ritual governed by the so-called Grand Wizard David Duke (Topher Grace) and a shocking and tragic speech carried in a BSU meeting, make it feel more like a one-on-one fight between two different groups.

Nevertheless, while Spike Lee's frustration with the idiocy and ridiculousness of racism might get to him, these things also bring up funny and awkward interactions between the likes of David Duke and Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), the colored police-man assigned as his security asset on his visit to Colorado Springs. These interactions are really interesting and its amazing to see Lee and his writers Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott adapt these funny situations with a natural flow. Specifically, the scene in which Ron suggests to take a picture with David Duke and while he accepts, his body language represents an obvious unease. It is the only time in the film when you see an Afro-American holding the power, even if is for a few seconds. But while funny, you can't help but choke a bit on your laugh when you realize the seriousness of this issue. This is a man feeling uneasy near a police officer assigned as his bodyguard simply because of his skin color.

I feel like Spike Lee is sick of dramatizing racism and complaining about its evils, but I do not like the way in which he wants to make you feel bad by causing a cheap laugh. I do like the way in which he uses D.W. Griffith's 'Birth of a Nation', a film which is difficult to discuss as a film-lover because it is a landmark film from a purely cinematographic perspective, but a total resentful and disgusting piece of work in any other context.

In the end, 'BlacKkKlansman' is a film having no insight on its own except excerpts from 'Birth of a Nation' and footage from the 2017 Unite the Right White Supremacist Rally.