Politics Disguised

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2007)

I have been a fan of Spike Lee's films for many years, and his latest offering did not disappoint. His message was not as obvious to suburban W.A.S.P. America as his previous offerings, however the critical shots in the film were just as striking as the lynching scene in Do The Right Thing or Edward Norton's rant in 25th Hour.
The plot was straightforward for a heist film, with the entire cinematic value being placed in the current political moment. The scene where the bank is cleared out evokes the problems of identification faced by Security and Military personnel. By not making the people readily identifiable, Lee manages to evoke a sense of identification with any group easily identified, and thereby discriminated against, for having a unifying physical characteristic. Rather than focusing on the problems specific to the black community, Lee manages to transcend his past as a filmmaker without being overly heavy on the social preaching.
Overall, the film was well-executed. Jodie Foster was underutilized, but then again, is she ever over-utilized in a film? Regardless of your personal feelings toward Mrs. Foster's acting, she was one of many talented actors giving incredible, impeccable performances. If you enjoyed Denzel Washington in Training Day, you're going to find his performance was not as good, but definitely more satisfying. The balance of acting and racial undertones make this film far more interesting than typical popcorn, we-gonna-steal-stuff celluloid.
I give it 9 Safety Deposit Boxes out of 10.