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Judas and the Black Messiah

Popcorn Podcast

Leigh and Tim discuss powerful biographical drama Judas and the Black Messiah. Plus, the new Spider-Man title is revealed; Wesley Snipes on his next 'Blade Killer' project; and Michael Bay shares shocking stunt footage from behind the scenes of his Ambulance movie

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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH MOVIE REVIEW

Leigh: I would have liked to have seen a deeper understanding of who these men were. I definitely wanted to learn more from Judas and the Black Messiah. It's a heavy subject, but there were some really beautiful moments in there, too. I enjoyed how it marks time with these lovely little moments without being jarring or losing the focus of the film. You get little snapshots of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) falling in love with his partner. And there's some more lovely moments where his partner is reading poetry to him and they're juxtaposed with violence. That shows that words are just as important tools when it comes to starting a revolution. You know, it's not just about violence, it's about convincing people.

Tim: Oh, 100 per cent. I totally agree that it was such a nice inclusion in the story to follow the developing romantic relationship that Fred Hampton had with his partner. From my perspective, in the midst of a very complex narrative of a lot of political jargon and positioning, it gave light and shade to these characters a little bit more. And you got to know them at a much deeper, personal level in these little moments, these really beautiful poetic moments, like you've said, where you saw more than just their political viewpoint, but their personal lives. I thought that was a really great platform, not only for the actors to really lean into the role, but also for the audience to try to understand these people as human beings, as well. 

Leigh: Then you get to the climax of the film, which is completely horrific, and made all the more horrifying because you know it's true. 

Tim: Oh, my gosh. I was so affected by that. It was a very powerful moment. No spoiler here, because this is how the story plays out, but it's basically right at the end and it just packs a punch. It's an extraordinary piece of filmmaking, as well as a really pivotal moment in history.

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