- Starring
- Jon Michael Hill, Julian Parker, Ryan Hallahan
- Writer
- Antoinette Nwandu
- Directors
- Spike Lee, Danya Taymor
- Rating
- n/a
- Running Time
- 74 minutes
Overall Score
Rating Summary
Spike Lee has done it all – not only in terms of film making, in which he’s explored many formats – but also as an activist, among many other things. With the release of his newest film, Da 5 Bloods, this Friday on Netflix, KLM will be highlighting some of his best films – many of which are extremely relevant in terms of the racism that’s currently plaguing our society.
What can Spike Lee not do? It seems like he’s nailed every format from narrative film, documentaries, and to even music videos. However, with Pass Over, Lee ventured out of his wheelhouse to film a pre-existing stage show – and the way he constructs it really emphasizes how talented he is.
Even though the material did not come from Lee himself, it’s worth noting that the it is still fantastic. Pass Over features a deep, metaphorical look into issues that are especially relevant right now is really awe inspiring, and is especially elevated by the four performances that it’s constructed from. Lee may be known as a writer-director, but the way he puts this existing material together justifies it being filmed in this way as it adds so much to the material adding a further level of immersion.
In addition, all of the creative liberties he takes to create layers within the material are brilliant and truly add a new perspective that’s already quite moving. The way he choreographs the camera movements here are fascinating – especially with the way that Lee uses different angles to emphasize power constructs. In addition, the way he brings the audience into it even further enhances the impact. Pass Over is sandwiched with an all-black audience being escorted to the theater and exiting once the show is done, in addition to shots that linger on the audience reaction. The way this is done brings a newly humane aspect to its emotional impact that’s truly unprecedented.
Pass Over was originally released as a Prime Video original a few years ago to almost zero word of mouth – which should really change because as this film was not only criminally underrated but also underlooked. While being in an unfamiliar format for Spike Lee fans, viewing this film will surely give you a newfound respect for his craft.
still courtesy of Amazon Studios
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