Judas And The Black Messiah

The African American fight for civil rights and justice resonates highly in yet another American film that explores the racism and brutality people of colour have tolerated from the law enforcers.

Judas And The Black Messiah is a biographical drama with a predominantly black cast that explores the events leading up to the betrayal of Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, in the late 1960s by black FBI informant William O’Neal.

The Black Panther Party was an African American revolutionary party founded in 1966 and its prime function was to watch and protect their own communities from police brutality.

The film is dark and gritty with an abundance of violence and bloodshed, and the credibility is enhanced by the addition of archival footage.

The high production values cannot be understated, notably the powerful performances from the high caliber cast, but it should prove to be a long and exhausting cinematic experience for those moviegoers not knowledgeable or interested in the subject matter. (MMo)

★★★ ½