Judas and the Black Messiah

Director: Shaka King Shaka King

Overview

William O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is an FBI agent tasked with infiltrating the Illinois Black Panther Party to keep an eye out for Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the group's charismatic leader. As a career thief, he finds joy in manipulating the people he works for, especially his handler Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). But as Fred attracts more people and gains more political power, William is faced with a difficult decision: stay loyal to his comrades and thwart Fred and the Black Panther Party, or side with the enemy and align with the forces of good. Directed by Shaka King.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/04/2021
UPC:	0883929714865
Original Release:	2021
Source:	Warner Home Video
Language:	English
Sales rank:	61,239

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Daniel Kaluuya	Fred Hampton
LaKeith Stanfield	Bill O'Neal
Jesse Plemons	Roy Mitchell
Dominique Fishback	Deborah Johnson
Algee Smith	Jake Winters
Darrell Britt-Gibson	Bobby Rush
Lil Rel Howery	Wayne
Dominique Thorne	Judy Harmon
Martin Sheen	J. Edgar Hoover
Amari Cheatom	Collins
Khris Davis	Steel
Ian Duff	Doc Satchel
Caleb Eberhardt	Bob Lee
Amber Chardae Robinson	Betty Coachman
Ikechukwu Ufomadu	Walter Hicks
James Udom	Compton
Nick Fink	Fesperman
Mell Bowser	Tex
Alysia Joy Powell	Mrs. Winters
Nicholas Velez	José Cha Cha Jiménez
Ajani Aj Carr	Anthony Timmons
Tommy LaFitte	Pool Hall Bartender
Terayle Hill	George Sams
China Shavers	College Student
Crystal Lee Brown	Darlene
Graham Lutes	Alex
Will F. Moore	Interviewer

Technical Credits

Will Berson

Shaka King

Will Berson	Screenwriter
Shaka King	Screenwriter,Director,Producer,Producer
Zinzi Coogler	Executive Producer,Producer
Ted Gidlow	Executive Producer
Aaron L. Gilbert	Executive Producer
Poppy Hanks	Executive Producer
Niija Kuykendall	Executive Producer
Anikah McLaren	Executive Producer
Ravi D. Mehta	Executive Producer
Marlowe Taylor	Sound Mixer

Editorial Reviews

Judas and the Black Messiah is a mesmerizing film and an incredible story. Director and writer Shaka King, along with the rest of his writing crew, unpack each layer very carefully, developing intrigue at every step. The plot doesn't necessarily need much help, but it is enhanced by two incredible performances from Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield. "Judas" is what you get when the government paints someone as a terrorist, the people paint the same person as a revolutionary, and an FBI informant is caught in the middle of it. This is natural drama at its finest, with an underlying message of hope and equality. Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) is the chairman of the Black Panther Illinois chapter. His life is quite literally dedicated to the people, the ones who are treated unfairly every single day. When Bill O'Neal (Stanfield), a small-time car thief, is caught, he eventually takes a deal to be an FBI informant. His job: infiltrate the Blank Panthers and gain Hampton's trust. The United States government was afraid of Hampton, and they would stop at nothing to bring him down. As a film, Judas and the Black Messiah, flies by in an instant. Taking place during a turbulent time in Chicago history, every scene is filled with some sort of tension, hope, or both. Much of this is brought on by the two leading actors, Kaluuya and Stanfield, who play their respective characters convincingly. Stanfield, in particular, continues to cement his stake as one of the best young actors around. He commands every scene, and the audience can get a sense of what he is going through. The only downside to this duo's collective performance is that there wasn't more of it. The audience watches O'Neal rise the ranks in Hampton's chapter, but there is very little emotional connection shown between the two. Real-life circumstances may have dictated the relationship, but it would have been interesting to see Hampton and O'Neal's true feelings toward each other. Judas and the Black Messiah is also shot exceptionally well. The dark, brooding backgrounds and lighting really set the tone, and is consistent throughout. It conjures feelings of despair and allows the audience to get a microscopic view into what these activists went through. King is not subtle in his approach; his message comes across loud and clear. This is a biopic about two soldiers in the middle of a race war; one is standing up for what he believes in, the other is a double agent. This is a fascinating story of activism, friendship, and betrayal. Great filmmaking and near-perfect acting combine to make Judas and the Black Messiah a must-see movie.