This film is a powerful message about race relations in the United States. Spike Lee delivers a timely reminder that racism is not a thing of the past, and that it is everyone's shared responsibility to prevent it from being part of the future.
BlackkKlansman is a film based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, Colorado Springs’ first black police officer, infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan. This is a Spike Lee film, and while it is focused on telling Ron’s story, it very clearly shows that racism in America is still a constant struggle in every level of society and even in the highest levels of government. BlackkKlansman is entertaining, witty and direct. This film tackles race relations in American history, and what it means to stand up for black culture. Ron Stallworth’s story is the perfect vehicle to express these relevant ideas to a wide audience. While times have changed, racism has not gone away. Spike Lee shows that bluntly and without holding anything back. From the first scene to the last, and every frame in between, there is an overwhelming and almost sickening display of racism that leaves audiences with a very clear call to action.
Ron’s story begins when he is first hired to the Colorado Springs police department. Immediately, he is faced with racist comments and actions from fellow police officers, and suppression of his ideas and ambition. It is not until Ron is assigned to undercover work that he begins to achieve his full potential. After being assigned to attend a meeting of a former Black Panther member, he begins to look more closely into race relations in the Colorado Springs area. Seemingly on a whim, he calls the local KKK chapter after reading their ad in the paper. His partner, Flip Zimmerman, points out that he used his real name (which was a rookie mistake) and would not be able to meet with them in person for obvious safety reasons. Together, they get the idea to both work as Ron Stallworth to get on the inside of the Klan and prevent violence.
During his undercover work, Ron Stallworth (the real one) meets Patrice, president of the local Black Student Union. Patrice is a very political character, referring to police officers exclusively as “pigs” and joining in protests of black suppression. She challenges Ron to embrace his culture rather than conform to the societal ‘norm’. Ron struggles to find where he fits into the Colorado Springs racial spectrum because he was “raised well” and is a police officer, and yet he sees the racial injustice against himself and other people of color. Patrice’s influence on Ron encourages him to discover what he wants and how he wants to behave, rather than choose to conform to a certain group’s expectations.
I really enjoyed this film. It is so hard to believe that Ron Stallworth’s story is actually true, and I am amazed by him and the way his story was portrayed. It is clear that everyone involved in the production of BlackkKlansman felt the importance of sharing this piece of unknown history and its implications in society today. Films like this one that tackle racism so overtly can be difficult to watch, but I was shocked how deeply the storytelling affected me. The passion behind every word was evident, and each cast member did an incredible job bringing their character to life.
In the bonus features of BlackkKlansman, there is a segment on Spike Lee’s involvement in production and how his influence helped to shape the film. Knowing more of his involvement and film background really enriches the viewing experience and makes certain themes in the film appear stronger.
