Since its release in 2018, viewers have given the film an impressive 96% overall score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes, claiming it’s “perfection” but there are just days left to watch it for free on BBC iPlayer.
BlacKkKlansman is an American biographical movie, with both crime and comedy elements, set back in 1970s Colorado. The inspirational film follows the life and work of the first ever African-American detective, Ron Stallworth, to work in the city’s police department and his mission to infiltrate and expose its local Ku Klux Klan.
Stallworth detailed his real-life journey as an officer throughou his 2014 memoir Black Klansman, which inspired the film, and playing him is John David Washington, the son of Denzel Washington. The film saw him star in his breakthrough role on screen after years as a football player, which viewers couldn’t quite believe, and the actor went on to receive a Golden Globe nomination.
An impressed Rotten Tomatoes review claimed: “Made, not coincidentally, during the first Trump term, this movie really highlights the ridiculousness and danger of extremist racial politics. Spike Lee has done a good job of telling a compelling, frightening story in a serious but very watchable format.
“The acting is amazing in this movie from Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier, and John David Washington. The filmmaking, the costumes, the settings, and the cinematography are all worthy of the critical praise this movie received. The supporting cast is great. The lessons are so important.”
At the time , BlacKkKlansman was considered to be a timely release, with the appointment of a new president and the beginnings of the Black Lives Matter movement, which earned itself critical acclaim. High praise was particularly given to Lee’s direction of the film, which landed six nominations at the 91st Academy Awards.
“This film was a joy to watch, and considering the subject matter, that’s a feat in and of itself,” one viewer shared. They continued to say: “It’s perfectly paced and delivers everything you would want from a filmmaker of this calibre. Then it does something that only Spike Lee can do; it ties it all to the modern age and shows you how relevant it is to current times.
“He’s just a great filmmaker, and this is just a great film. Fun, insightful, and impactful, and it leaves you feeling like you’ve done more than simply watch a movie; you experienced history. Perfection.”
The film follows an incredible journey as Stallworth sets out on a brave mission, putting his own life at risk, to expose members of the renowned Ku Klux Klan, an American Christian extremist and white supremacist group. Alongside his colleague, Flip Zimmerman, played by Adam Driver, they go undercover to investigate the happenings of this hate group and do all they can to take them down before they further infiltrate the community.
Viewers have praised the film for being both “moving” and “compelling”, with themes that, despite its 1970s setting, are still relevant to this day.
One review claims that Lee’s work acts as “a chilling and inspiring thought piece on the modern and contemporary aspects of racism in America”.
For those wanting to learn more about the unbelievable and inspirational story of Ron Stallworth in the style of an action comedy, there are just days left. BlacKkKlansman is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer, before it quickly leaves the streaming platform on July 8.