Review of Da 5 Bloods (2020) by Mystichydra — 20 Jun 2020

A genuinely difficult film to review, primarily because this feels like a directors cut version. It's overlong, disjointed, muddled, unfocused, etc. It is simultaneously too much and not enough. The characters are painfully one-dimensional, and the actors all do an amazing job with the stunted dialogue provided. For better or worse, Spike Lee movies hit you over the head with a hammer. There are moments of genuine talent interspersed throughout, but they are mere breadcrumbs in an otherwise wilted souffle. Lee is a talented filmmaker, and many of my quibbles with this flick are simply aesthetic differences. For example, I understand where he was coming from having the modern day actors portray their younger selves. But I found it to be distracting and ineffective. It's taking me 3 sittings to finish this, and unlike The Irishman, there was little to ponder afterwards. The movie told you what to think every step of the way. And loses much of its emotional resonance because of it. It's so contrived... Not just most of the dialogue, but the plot and overall conflicts (which just disintegrates interpersonally, for purposes of moving the plot along along), as well as the implausibilities. Of which there are so many. And the action scenes! Honestly looks like a fist year term student.

Overall, I wanted to like this movie. But it was just too bogged down. There are a few Spike Lee films I can go as far as to say I love (Do the Right Thing, Son of Sam, 25th Hour, BlacKKKlansman). But when he is off, he's really off and though by no means a failure, Bloods just felt like an unfinished ride which didn't know which way to turn. It should have focused on one solid thing, instead of trying to be both a heist movie and a history lesson/scathing social and political commentary. I have respect for Lee, and his intentions are pure, but pure intentions alone does not a good movie make. I can't help but think given a different time to be released, the enthusiasm towards bloods would be less so.