Review of Mississippi Burning (1988) by Matthew D — 02 Jan 2019

A riveting crime thriller that feels shockingly relevant.

Mississippi Burning (1988) is directed by Alan Parker with a gritty realism and brutal violence that hits hard. This is a film so startling and infuriating that you will never forget it. It takes on the FBI investigation into the racist hate crimes of the KKK in 1960's America that feels as if this took place in present times, sadly.

Parker uses documentary style interviews with the backward racist Mississippi local characters to imbue the audience with a feel for how hateful and regressive the local population in the setting really are to their core. Parker pans the camera around the town constantly showing the average white community member with their distrustful glares and hateful venomous words. Mississippi Burning is a testament to persevering against adversity in the name of justice. No matter how violent and crooked the police and citizens get, the law can always get these criminals.

Parker invokes powerful imagery from the first shot of a white man and a black boy drinking from segregated water fountains whose water flows from the same pipe. Mississippi Burning longs for a peaceful country in which black communities will not be terrorized by racist white people. It is a demonstration of the fear tactics Republicans and klan members use to discourage black communities from voting or speaking out against these hate groups.

Mississippi Burning effectively displays the harsh and unkind truth that black communities in America constantly feel in danger and oppressed by their white neighbors. However ugly the reality of the situation, Parker captures all the pain and agony with a refreshing truth on camera. His direction is peerless as we see stunning cinematography of this Southern urban wasteland.

Parker offers profound reasoning for the hatred with dialogue mentioning the conditions of poverty and ignorance that teach hatred instead of it being born in white Americans.

The cast is as incredible as the overall film. Willem Dafoe presents the honest justice of the FBI trying to change the country's perception with law and order wonderfully. His resolute stance is so earnest and caring, you cannot help but like Dafoe in Mississippi Burning.

On the other hand, the gruff and macho Gene Hackman delivers an excellent performance as the more straightforward Southern tough guy. His depiction of a man conflicted by the racist viewings of his upbringing against his righteous attempts at uncovering evidence to convict the murderers is fascinating. Similarly, Frances McDormand gives a great acting performance as a hairdresser taught to be racist from birth that relents on her life choices. You almost feel sorry for her character. These three leading roles carry Mississippi Burning into cinematic greatness.

The supporting roles are a variety of hideous racist sheriffs like Gailard Sartain's negligent officer to the violently racist and abusive deputies like Brad Dourif's monstrous character. They are as unsettling as Michael Rooker's grotesquely racist character is vile. Lastly, R. Lee Ermey gives a fantastically furious performance as the racist and complacent mayor of this Mississippi town.

I must mention Trevor Jones scored Mississippi Burning with tense synth heavy songs that leave you stuck in the scenes. His ear for how to build suspense is particularly outstanding during the chase sequences in the car.

In all, Mississippi Burning is a cinematic classic of creative visual direction from Alan Parker matched equally in brilliance by the high caliber acting from Willem Dafoe, Gene Hackman, and Frances McDormand. This movie will frighten, upset, enrage, and shock you. But I feel all the more informed and emboldened to progress America into a more tolerant, accepting, and understanding nation after having witnessed the nightmarish sight that is Mississippi Burning.