Based on a true story: in Chicago, 1968, Bill O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) is an FBI informant who is coerced to infiltrate the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers Party with special focus on its chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).
It is very tempting and easy to compare this film with "BlacKKKlansman" released just three years earlier. Both films involve individuals fighting against anti-black racism; they take place during the volatile period of the late 1960s and early 1970s; and each involve a primary character acting as a double agent. Despite worthy praises for "Judas" (strong acting, powerful scenes, an eloquent exposure of unspeakable injustice), it comes up rather short compared to the earlier film.
"Judas and the Black Messiah" seems to keep a distance from the characters so their development is limited. Particularly, there is a missed opportunity to delve into the inner conflict that O'Neal would have faced as he was being manipulated to betray other blacks who were working against historical racism. Going deeper would have raised the film to a higher level. - dbamateurcritic.
It is very tempting and easy to compare this film with "BlacKKKlansman" released just three years earlier. Both films involve individuals fighting against anti-black racism; they take place during the volatile period of the late 1960s and early 1970s; and each involve a primary character acting as a double agent. Despite worthy praises for "Judas" (strong acting, powerful scenes, an eloquent exposure of unspeakable injustice), it comes up rather short compared to the earlier film.
"Judas and the Black Messiah" seems to keep a distance from the characters so their development is limited. Particularly, there is a missed opportunity to delve into the inner conflict that O'Neal would have faced as he was being manipulated to betray other blacks who were working against historical racism. Going deeper would have raised the film to a higher level. - dbamateurcritic.