Spike Lee Retrospective: Malcolm X (1992)

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.

Epic movies are trickier than they seem. They request a lot of effort, and not only in the technical parts. The story, or its main character, need to honor that investment. Sometimes that just doesn’t work. Ryan’s Daughter for example, is a nice film that feels terribly overblown by its need to be so grand. It would probably have been better if that film’s narrative was a bit tighter. Thankfully, Malcolm X has a protagonist that totally deserves its epic stature, and the film honors that character beautifully. Everyone wins.

Malcolm X follows Malcolm Little (Washington) was a small-time gangster in Boston during World War II. Things escalate rather quickly when one wants to make big money fast, and he soon found himself in jail. At the time, Malcolm was an angry man without much guidance. That changes in prison when he meets a man named Baines (Albert Hall), an older inmate who takes him under his wings and teaches him about the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad (Albert Freeman Jr). At first Malcolm is not interested and antagonizes Baines. In time, Baines tears down the walls around Malcolm and breaks through to him as he joins the Nation of Islam after leaving prison, talking X as his last name. Malcolm is a natural leader and his words connect with African Americans in the late 50’s and early 60’s, turning Malcolm into a reference for them. But as his stature increases, so does the hatred from his opposers.

As a film, Malcolm X is quite fascinating. The script gives us everything there is to know about this man, from his childhood and his father being killed by the KKK, to his desire to feel powerful when he had no power, from his angry days to his understanding of the reasons his angry existed. The film runs through these moments with ease, connecting his evolution beautifully, giving us a complex picture of this man. Meanwhile, there’s another reason why the film is so fascinating: Washington. The actor gives Malcolm so much strength and charisma is impossible to resist. Washington is an actor who never relies in sentimentality in his performances. Instead, he projects a lot of intelligence and his characters are usually always in control of their emotions. This is what makes Washington’s characters always a bit mysterious and enigmatic and pull us in every time.

But Malcolm X is way more than just its protagonist. Director Spike Lee rises up to the challenge of creating an almost three-and-a-half-hour film, and the film is quite exciting to look at. From the costumes to the cinematography, everything dazzles here. Scenes are quite strong, and some are just stunning. The first scene, a full long shot is fantastic, and Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca is among the most amazing scenes ever captured in a movie.

In the end, Malcolm X is one of Spike Lee’s towering achievements. Take some time (a lot of time, actually) and watch it.

*still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures*

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