It isn't subtle, but it's certainly powerful.

Rating: 8/10 (1 September 2018)

There's no real room for subtlety in 'BlacKkKlansman (2018)', a film that's almost alarming in its frankness and its ability to draw blank parallels between its seventies setting and our still-troubled modern times. It's this decision not to leave anything to interpretation that gives the piece its real sense of urgency, as it feels as though it's grabbing you by the shoulders, shaking you as hard it can and yelling, "look at what's happening, still to this day - wake up!" It really is a powerful experience, one that feels especially relevant today; it's very much a response to America's current political climate. It isn't always a pleasant watch (by necessity) and often evokes a real sense of anger, both at its more deplorable characters and at its overall situation. However, the feature somehow manages to be entertaining, harrowing, moving, frightening, funny, vexing, ironic and sobering all at once. It seems to encapsulate everything, to say all that needs to be said, and it feels really significant in a way that's difficult to describe. It's a cultural statement that will be looked at for years to come and, no matter what effect it has or how it's remembered, it's happening right now and it's as real as it gets. 8/10