Just as Do the Right Thing was the capstone of Spike Lee's earlier career, Malcolm X marked the next milestone in the filmmaker's artistic maturity. It seemed everything Lee had done up to that point was to prepare him for this epic biography of America's fiery civil-rights leader, who is superbly played by Oscar-nominated Denzel Washington, from his early days as a zoot-suited hustler known as "Detroit Red" to his spiritual maturity after his pilgrimage to Mecca, as a Black Muslim by the name of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. Do the Right Thing climaxed with the photographic images of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King engulfed by flames of rage; Malcolm X explores the genesis and evolution of that rage over Malcolm's lifetime, and how these two great figures--held up to the public as polar-opposites within the African American human rights movement (King for nonviolent civil disobedience, Malcolm for achieving equality "by any means necessary")--were each essential to the agenda of the other. Lee careens from the hedonistic ebullience of Malcolm's early days to the stark despair of prison, from his life-changing conversion to Islam to his emergence as a dynamic political leader--all with an epic sweep and vitality that illuminates personal details as well as political ideology. Angela Bassett is also terrific as Malcolm's wife, Betty Shabazz. --Jim Emerson
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Malcolm Xcellent Comment: I could easily have given this movie five stars on the acting alone. But I had to take out one star for a few inaccuracies in the movie plus the movie left out certain elements in his life that I felt were important(like his speech to the Africans in Africa that the blacks in America had the same struggle that they had) but dont mistake my tone because I still recommend it flaws and all.
Malcolm X details the life of the controversial yet charismatic figure that sought to deal with the injustices that African people suffered in America. It details how he came up from being a petty street hustler to the Nation Of Islam most outspoken character. It also deals with the events that lead to his assassination.
Denzel Washington's best performance was here and what does he win an award for? Training Day. Now do you see why they say these awards mean nothing? Denzel role as Malcolm X is just as flawless as Will Smith's role of Muhammed Ali. I still get goosebumps when I hear him speak and Ive seen a lot of Malcolm X's actual speeches. Angela Bassett did a great job as his wife and the supporting actors and actresses were great too. My gripe is the certain inaccuracies in the movie and the idea that the Nation Of Islam has something to do with his death is debatable. As far as I'm concerned those guys were flunkies for those people in high places. If not by signature then by nature. At any rate I would still recommend this movie, flaws and all, to anybody that is interested but first read up on his life before you watch this movie. Kudos to Spike Lee for doing his best with the information he was given.
Rest in Peace Malcolm X. Customer Rating: Summary: Dumb cover Comment: That's a stupid and inappropriate cover. (by the way, the movie's great and it was a travesty that Denzel didn't win and then he won for that disgusting stupid police movie - evn Crimson Tide was better than that.) Customer Rating: Summary: Malcolm X Comment: Denzel Washington does not disappoint. At times, I forgot that it was not Malcolm in real life. The movie was excellent! Customer Rating: Summary: Man of Vision Struck Down 20th Century Comment: I was not an avid follower of this man, but some of his ideals should have been scrutinized for a better community amongst the people mainly African Americans.
He was a man of integrity especially with family life. His followers were not as strong minded as he just as those in MLK's time. Those supposed followers reacted to certain aspects of their ideas I believe, just to announce that they were a part of a group with some power.
The followers did not fully understand their leader who was for the equality of Human Race. Customer Rating: Summary: Buy this movie Comment: This is a very good biography of Malcolm X that follows his Autobiography with some exceptions. Denzel is the man.
