What "Charlie Manson" and "Dylan Roof" failed to achieve . . .

Rating: 8/10 (23 August 2018)

. . . that is, instigating a full-scale American Race War, is likely now in our near future, thanks to BLACKKKLANSMAN. Such is the Power of Cinema. Just as "Adolph Hitler's" personal cinematographer--"Leni Riefenstahl"--won an Oscar and started World War Two with her riveting flick TRIUMPH OF THE WILL, the BLACKKKLANSMAN filmmakers are guilty of using the same sort of mean-spirited, highly-selective Tunnel Vision to cherry pick a few incendiary generalizations and events from the distant past with the apparent goal of riling up Hate, and promoting the biggest possible Ruckus. People will be debating whether ANY AND EVERY incident of Urban Violence can be laid at BLACKKKLANSMAN's doorstep for decades to come. (I was passing through stressed-out Detroit, which is still trying to recover from its 1967-68 Race Riots, when BLACKKKLANSMAN came out. Since none of the suburban theaters on my itinerary--those multiple-screen Big Box Bijous catering to diverse audiences--would touch this flick with a 16-foot pole, I was forced to drive almost to EIGHT MILE road for my undercover viewing in a sector which the local newspaper pegs at a 98% Urban demographic.) BLACKKKLANSMAN ends with an upside-down U.S. flag, which morphs into a monochromatic Stars & Stripes, the universal signal for launching Dallas-style attacks on Civil Order and our valiant Peacekeepers. "Nuff said.