Review of Night Catches Us (2010) by Michael S — 05 Dec 2010

This is a dreadful movie. It is slow, slow slow in plot development. The main characters are ex-Panthers who have to deal with what it means to be a snitch or friend of a snitch. Those blacks who uphold the political meaning of being Panthers are depicted as crazy.

Sanity resides with those who snitch. Actors Mackie and Pierce can only do so much with an awful script. What really makes this nasty, is the placement of this story in Philadelphia in the time frame when Mumia Abu-Jamal was reporting on police brutality.

Jamal was later accused of being the kind of mindless cop killer shown in this wretched movie. For those who know about Panther politics, it isn't damaging, but for those influenced by right-wing anti-panther rhetoric, it will falsely confirm conservative beliefs that Panthers were a gang of killers.

So much effort was wasted on this movie. Little of the achievements of the Panthers or their political legacy is represented. What a shame, the music and photography are great. I hope the film is a financial failure.

It deserves oblivion.