The first hour keeps it from a 10

Rating: 9/10 (13 June 2020)

POSITIVES:
1) The film is masterfully shot. It was a genius move to shoot the film in 3 different aspect ratios
2) Delroy Lindo is incredible and definitely deserves a best actor Oscar nomination, his one take rants to the camera are flawless; I'd love to see Chadwick Boseman get a best supporting actor Oscar nomination too
3) The minefield scene is one of the most tense scenes I've watched in a long time
4) The film is emotional in a great way and you really feel the bonds that the Bloods have with each other
5) The score is very good and completely works with the film
NEGATIVES:
1) The film is too long, it definitely feels baggy
2) Pretty much all of this bagginess comes in the first hour. There is a moment at the end of the first hour where the screen extends into the full widescreen aspect ratio for the first time, this moment literally seemed there to signify Spike Lee saying "this is the where the film really starts properly". In the first hour there are two romantic subplots that are completely irrelevant, as well as 2 scenes in bars that should be heavily trimmed down or cut out completely
3) Some of the dialogue in the first hour is a bit clunky