Judas and the Black Messiah

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Judas and the Black Messiah

R

Released Feb 12, 2021

2h 6m

History

Drama

Biography

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96%

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358 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

500+ Verified Ratings

FBI informant William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A career thief, O'Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell. Hampton's political prowess grows just as he's falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson. Meanwhile, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover commands?

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Critics Consensus

An electrifying dramatization of historical events, Judas and the Black Messiah is a forceful condemnation of racial injustice -- and a major triumph for its director and stars.

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Audience Says

Judas and the Black Messiah is based on a true story that's hard to watch -- but the way it's told here makes it even harder to turn away.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

The facts of the real event are enough, and King deploys small moments, quiet close-ups and tiny details that, in total, amount to a story of unimaginable sorrow.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 23, 2024

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Namrata Joshi

National Herald (India)

Gifted as Hampton was with rare oratorial skills, the film on his life also tries to spin magic with his words...

May 18, 2021

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Wenlei Ma

News.com.au

Impressive, explosive and gut-wrenching.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 19, 2021

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Brittany Patrice Witherspoon

Pop Culture Reviews

For every conflicting element in Judas, there certainly were moments and aspects of King’s feature that worked beautifully on screen.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 15, 2024

Full Review

Paul Klein

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

The triumph of the film that by the end you understand why O’Neal did what he did, and you feel for him, while at the same time rallying behind Hampton in his chants of “I am a revolutionary”.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 4, 2024

Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

Kaluuya, Fishback, Thorne and Powell transcend the limitations of the script and infuse an emotional history and character development missing in the actual script.

Jun 15, 2024

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Brandan

Rest In Power, Chairman Fred!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/23/22

Full Review

Joseph K

Excellent and riveting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/22

Full Review

Movie Goer 2021

Actors and actresses did an outstanding job.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/06/21

Full Review

Chima

loved the historical account and real life reference with footage.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/02/21

Full Review

Lenlee H

great camera work and script. some pacing issues but overall an easy to recommend film

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/21

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damien c

“I am a revolutionary!” Amazing, powerful, poignant. The performances are off the charts all around.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/25/21

Full Review

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Shaka King

Director

Daniel Kaluuya

Fred Hampton

LaKeith Stanfield

William O'Neal

Jesse Plemons

Roy Mitchell

Dominique Fishback

Deborah Johnson

Ashton Sanders

Jimmy Palmer

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How Daniel Kaluuya Became Fred Hampton for 'Judas and the Black Messiah'

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Judas and the Black Messiah: Trailer 2

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Judas and the Black Messiah: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

FBI informant William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A career thief, O'Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell. Hampton's political prowess grows just as he's falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson. Meanwhile, a battle wages for O'Neal's soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover commands?

Director: Shaka King
Producer: Ryan Coogler, Charles D. King, Shaka King
Screenwriter: Will Berson, Shaka King
Distributor: Warner Bros
Production Co: BRON Studios, Participant Media, MACRO
Rating: R (Violence|Pervasive Language)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 2021, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.0M
Runtime: 2h 6m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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