A travesty - no Oscar for Denzel

Rating: 8/10 (9 October 2012)

Spike Lee newly acquired position as the top dog amongst Afroamerican directors with extremely high art-house appeal was put to good use with initiating the production of "Malcolm X". Based on his autobiography with slight parts edited in, updated or filled Spike Lee dares not to venture far from the source material giving this key figure in black activism an extremely accurate, albeit lengthy movie portrayal. Not backing down on a critique of the small-minded "Nation of Islam" Spike Lee also unabashedly takes on Malcolm X's point of view in the key breakaway from the movement by its biggest spokesperson.
A huge figure for black America is gifted a great cinematographic autobiography, which only flaw is being too short while running over 3 hours. Certain key aspects of Malcolm X's life are glossed over (like his prison term or the fate of his mother), as is a glaring under-focusing on post-Hajj era of Malcolm's career, the one which in all essence has the most profound and lasting impact, also is most cited and revered. The road from rags to moral riches is a passionate and convincing one, especially in the gifted hands of Denzel Washington, the only person worthy of an Oscar in 1993 for Best Actor. Starting of from a low-life cat with sticky fingers and a jail-bird through a period of religious fanaticism, until finally discovering his own voice is a spectacular journey through his career, one that could well last 2-3 more hours and still not bore. Flashes into childhood are overwhelmingly brilliant in building context, focus and vividly present the remarkable life of a true American hero.