A somewhat cumbersome but moving portrait of a controversial figure

Rating: 8/10 (14 October 2006)

Roger Ebert said it best: It took guts to make a movie like this. Mohandas Ghandi was a safe subject, as was Oscar Romero. But to directly take on the life of one of the most combative personalities in American history, don't pull any punches about his criminal past or controversial views, *and* manage to make something amazingly informative *and* entertaining...that's not just guts, that's an achievement. Yes, I remember the hype, but in this case, it was more than deserved.
It drags a *little* at times, particularly near the end where it's all over but the inescapable tragedy. Probrably not worth a purchase unless you're a big fan of Lee's work, but every free-thinking American who's not afraid of an issue as turbulent as race relations should see it.
Malcolm wasn't a superhero or a prophet, just a very determined human being devoted to a righteous cause who ended up paying a terrible price. For my money, that's someone worth knowing more about.