Such a frustrating disappointment

Really Surprised!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Right from the opening credits in which an American flag slowly burns to form a letter 'X', this biography of the title human rights activist from Spike Lee is riveting viewing throughout. The film's strongest asset is Denzel Washington's lead performance; he undergoes several character progressions throughout as the film documents his whole transformation from convicted criminal to angry protester to revered public figure. The film benefits from some magnificent editing too with well-melded, dreamlike childhood flashbacks, a clever cutaway in which Washington imagines throw a cake in a condescending young man's face and some very deliberate cutting in a scene in which he looks up the definitions of 'black' and 'white' in the dictionary (probably the most potent part of the entire movie). The Oscar nominated costumes (zoot suits in particular) are great too. What does not quite work so well though is Lee's choice to unabashedly celebrate the title character. The sentimental epilogue seems ill-judged. Also, given how callous Malcolm is shown at times (coldly telling a sympathetic young white woman that she cannot do anything to help his cause) and how close-minded he is on certain issues, he always seems like more a deeply flawed man with his heart in the right place than a leader worthy of Lee's celebratory treatment. Never to mind, the film is engaging the whole way through, regardless of how one views the title character, with nary a boring moment to be had - which is a quite remarkable achievement for a that film clocks in at over three hours in length.

Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader (Denzel Washington), from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.I think people would generally say "Do the Right Thing" is Spike Lee's masterpiece, but that film is challenging and hard to swallow at times. That may make it powerful and artistic, but it is hard to compete with "Malcolm X", which tells true history and explains much about the black man's plight in America. And with Denzel Washington, one of the greatest actors, in the lead, it is hard to deny its wide appeal.Lee is a great director for pushing "black cinema" (if such a thing exists). And this is the film that really makes it real, gets to the heart of what is wrong with how mainstream (white) society treats the black man. This should be required viewing.

Spike Lee's adaptation of the Autobiography of Malcolm X is a masterpiece that brings the world's understanding and connection to Malcolm one step closer. Spike Lee's use of filter changes and diegetic sound through the course of the film portrays Malcolm's change in consciousness and the direction of his life. In the first part of the movie we see Malcolm's life as a young man and later a hustler. Colors are seen as bright and vivid which adds to a cartoonish sense of his actions in this part of his life. The conking and zoots suits all seem surreal as to portray Malcolm's reflection of his past. Behind these scenes, jazz music is constantly playing as if the backdrop of a cartoon. In the novel, Malcolm explains that he now knows how such things were all apart of the white man's power over blacks and sees his past as childish. Spike lee later illustrates the dramatic change of Malcolm's life when he is sent to prison, by changing the filter and making shots longer and a darker contrast. Spike Lee shows this darkness at a peak when Malcolm is locked in solitary confinement. The pitch black scene is frighting and the blinding that follows when the door is opened seems divine. Soon after he is brought out of the darkness, he finds Islam with the help of a fellow inmate. Spike Lee, with this use of dark and light contrast, as well as the removal of the diegetic jazz music, shows Malcolm X's change in his life and his path to Islam being his escape from the white man's oppression. I really appreciated this use of contrast to the previous scenes of his life as a hustler. Spike Lee through this contrast was able to present Malcolm's transformation more personally to the viewer than they would have if they had only read the autobiography. As the film progresses from then on, it is a more biographical, informative, representation of Malcolm's life but keeps the personal connection Spike Lee created in the first half intact with many close up shots of Malcolm X. When you reach the final death scene in the film, you truly feel the loss of an important man. The connection that Spike Lee creates with his film can not be overlooked and is only a part of what makes this film an amazing piece of art.

Malcolm X is a film, that while long, is very much worth the time to watch. The movie focuses on the adult life of Malcolm X, yet uses flashbacks to help the viewer understand his past as well. Although I did not find the scenes very effective as flashbacks, overall they served well to the purpose of the movie. Lee decided to portray his early life as a hustler glamorized tone. I found his techniques with camera movement to be effective, he used old Hollywood camera movements like crane shots, and sweeping tracking shots to give it this effect. This style was effective because old Hollywood films were meant to enchant the viewer as much as possible.Although, I found the most effective part of the movie to be the opening credits. Denzel Washington's reenactment of Malcolm X's speech about charging the white man with his injustices is voiced over the American flag slowly burning into an X. Interspersed throughout is footage of Rodney King being beaten by Los Angeles police. This, to me, was the most moving scene in the film as the words are so powerful and the image of the US flag burning is jarring for Americans. Even more jarring was the footage of King being brutally beaten. The combination of these things drew me in as a viewer because it was shocking.The film overall is split into three parts, Malcolm's early adulthood as a hustler, his discovery of Islam and his preachings for Elijah Muhammad, and his self discovery and preachings after his "hajj" to the Middle East and Mecca. I found his early adult life prolonged and dragged out, but the rest of the film I found effective and important to Malcolm's story. As I had said earlier, if you have the time to watch it, it is a film much worth your time. Denzel Washington's performance is spectacular, and Spike Lee uses a lot of interesting techniques to portray Malcolm's story emotionally and sends the message he lived for very well.