Malcolm X
1992
****½
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr., Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee, Theresa Randle, Giancarlo Esposito, Roger Guenveur Smith, Bobby Seale
Spike Lee’s epic 202-minute drama chronicles the life of Malcolm X, from his criminal youth and time in prison to his rise as a leading voice for the Nation of Islam and his eventual separation from the organisation. The film is long, but this is how you make a biopic: not by presenting a simple highlights reel of Malcolm X’s life, but by convincingly showing how his views on race, justice, and identity evolved over time. Denzel Washington delivers one of his finest performances in the lead role. Based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X with Alex Haley.
