Judas and the Black Messiah

Shaka King

William O’Neal is blackmailed by the FBI to infiltrate the Black Panther Party of Illinois. Leader of this department is Fred Hampton. This charismatic man is a thorn in the side of the FBI and they want to find a reason to get him out of the way.

When O’Neal has been arrested he doesn’t have a choice: either he can go to prison or infiltrate at the Black Panthers. He is Black himself and knows just how racist the American society can be, but at first sight he doesn’t really feel like he belongs with the Black Panthers. However, over time he gets more and more involved in their fight. He’s stuck between the FBI, who can easily let him disappear behind bars, and the Black Panthers who have given him an unexpected home.

Director Shaka King brings this important part of history to a bigger audience with the help of some of this moment’s best actors. With Lakeith Stanfield as the cornered O’Neal and Daniel Kaluuya as the magnetic Fred Hampton the viewer is fully immersed in the story. Kaluuya deservedly won an Oscar for best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Credits

Director
Shaka King
Producer
Ryan Coogler, Charles D. King, Shaka King
Year
2020
Country of production
United States
Type
Fiction
Duration
126 minutes
Spoken language
English
Subtitles
NL
Production company
MACRO, Participant, Bron Creative, Proximity
Dutch distributor
Warner Bros. Nederland