Search - Judas and the Black Messiah (DVD + Digital) on DVD

B.J. W. (analogkid01) from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 7/5/2025...

"Judas and the Black Messiah," Shaka King's 2021 film about 20-year-old Black Panthers chairman Fred Hampton and FBI informant Bill O'Neal, received numerous Oscar nominations and a win for Daniel Kaluuya, who you may have seen in Jordan Peele's debut film "Get Out."

Kaluuya plays Hampton opposite LaKeith Stanfield's O'Neal. O'Neal was a petty car thief in Chicago who racked up a federal charge after posing as an FBI agent. A real FBI agent (Jesse Plemons, aka Matt Damon from Wish) makes him an offer: infiltrate the Black Panthers and get close to Hampton, or do five years.

The film is absolutely worthy of the accolades it received. It is a riveting look into the growth of the Black Panthers and its contentious relationship with both Chicago cops and the Feds.

Is O'Neal a "sympathetic" character? I don't think anyone could've expected him to do five years for an organization he wasn't involved in or a leader he hadn't even met yet. Obviously his actions had a devastating effect on the Black Panthers and I will wonder for a long time what he could've done differently.

The last 15 or so minutes of this film shifts from a fictional narrative into more of a straightforward documentary, but it makes complete sense given the subject matter and the fates of the main characters. There are a few characters and plot threads that aren't really related to the main story and probably could've been excised, but at two hours the film doesn't feel terribly over-long.

I also want to point out Dominique Fishback's wonderful performance as Deborah Johnson, Hampton's speechwriter and, later, mother of his child. The scene where she reads her poem to Fred is perfection.

Also, LaKeith Stanfield. If you have not seen "Sorry to Bother You," drop what you're doing and watch that motherfuckin' film, it's amazing. That one's gonna stay with me for a long, long time. Bizarre, surreal, and hysterical.

Points off for filming a Chicago-based story in Ohio, though, not sure what's up with that.

Grade: A-minus

P.S. A bit about Oscar nomination weirdness: Kaluuya and Stanfield were both nominated for Oscars, but both in the "Supporting Actor" category. Why were they both in that category? They pretty much had an equal amount of screen time. Why not both in the main "Best Actor" category, or why not split them up into different categories? Answer: the late Chadwick Boseman was posthumously nominated for Best Actor for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and I'm guessing the producers of "Judas" didn't want to step on his toes. Unfortunately he did not win, losing to Anthony Hopkins for "The Father," but I'm glad Kaluuya won at least.

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 6/13/2024...

Strong start but then the fizzle came with a too long movie and a miscast of Friday Night Light's Jesse Plemons did not help matters. Stick around for the ending since there are some facts and a video of the person at the center of all this.

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Sandy M. (BritFlickFan)
Reviewed on 6/10/2024...

Compelling docudrama profiling the FBI's surveillance of Chicago-based activist Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and founder of the Rainbow Coalition after confidential informant William O'Neal infiltrates Hampton's organization in exchange for expungement of O'Neal's criminal record and under-the-table cash payments.

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.