A Compulsivly Watchable Future Classic

Rating: 9/10 (12 August 2018)

Spike Lee remains one of the most interesting American directors working at this moment, regardless of the varying quality of his work as of late, it's immediately apparent with any of his projects that even in his early 60s he remains just as eager to experiment and indulge as he was when he got out of film school. Even his outright bad films contain so much cinematic flair and so many flat out ballsy choices, that they are worth watching. BlacKkKlansman, his best film of late, bounces with so much energy that it's easy to forget how much of the runtime is given to discussion, how much is dedicated for varying parties to reveal their view points and logic. Its a film which bounces effortlessly between black comedy and police procedural, which is filled equally with gut busting wit and sweat inducing suspense, and most importantly which never skimps on entertainment. But Lee is always aware that his film is first and foremost a vehicle to deliver social commentary, and he ends the film on a left field gut punch the likes of which haven't been seen since Do the Right Thing. After 2 hours of laughter and a good time, the final frames of this film left me speechless in a way that few films have, and crystallize the films message in the boldest terms imaginable. Many people will hate this film because of its politics, because it states things that are frankly uncomfortable to think about, but the message is supported by top knotch craftsmanship, the filmmaking on display is inspired to say the least, and it feels like Lee is again filled with the same infectious energy which made him a legend 30 years ago.