While watching this movie all I could think about was how insane and utterly sad it is that this happened 52 years ago and yet we are still fighting the same fight. 

Fred Hampton was murdered in his sleep in 1969.

Breonna Taylor was murdered in her sleep in 2020. 

Cops are still killing unarmed black men and women almost every day. 

Cops are still conspiring against black people and trying to tear us apart because they are afraid of the power we have when we work together. 

Black people are still our own worst enemy. If William O’ Neal never turned on his people, maybe things would have been different. If Black people work together, stop trying to get ahead regardless of who we hurt, and stop running behind the white man, Black people would be untouchable. 

Change the year from 1969 to 2020 and you have the same headlines and the same situations. 

Fred Hampton and the mission of the Black Panther Party are so relevant right now and his story needs to be amplified now more than ever. 

Now, this article wasn’t meant to be my hot take on the world we live in, but rather a movie review but I had to get that out the way first. 

Now to the movie. 

Give Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield their flowers because they absolutely bodied their roles! The acting was superb, and as a history buff, I admire the accuracy in dialect and mannerisms that Kaluuya and Stanfield used in order to bring Hampton and O’Neal to life. 

I also want to give Dominique Fishback her moment because she did an excellent job as Deborah Johnson. Also, special shoutout to Jesse Plemons because that man knows how to play a problematic character. 

Overall, the costuming, soundtrack, hair, and makeup were right on time and historically accurate. 

It goes without saying that this movie was 10/10 and more importantly it was accurate. I’ve read about Fred Hampton, sure, but seeing his story brought to life on the screen made it more real and helped me really place myself in the time period. It’s important that all areas of media (TV, movies, magazines, social media, etc.) amplify black history and stories so that no one has an excuse to not know what happened and what continues to happen. 

Judas and the Black Messiah provides the world with a historical account of the Black Panther Party and the struggles that accompany the fight for justice. 

Be sure to go to HBO Max or the theaters to watch this movie. 

P.S. FAU students get HBO Max for free. Here’s how:

1. Go to: http://HBOMAX.com
2. At the top right hand corner press sign in
3. Press sign in through TV or Mobile Provider
4. Click xfinity
5. Then click sign in where it says xfinity on campus students
6. Search for FAU and press submit
7. Log in with your FAU credentials
8. Sit back and watch Judas and the Black Messiah