Spike Lee’s “BlaKkKlansman” is prefaced with one line: “Dis joint is based on some real FR, FR sh*t.” Without this preface, some might not believe the premise. The film chronicles the real investigation and take down of members of the Colorado Springs KKK chapter by Ron Stallworth, (John David Washington) the
After being selected for an undercover sting to reveal the motives of Kwame Ture (Corey Hawkins) and the Black Student Union, Stallworth reevaluates how he can change society. Stallworth contacts the local chapter of the Klan. Immediately developing a bond with Colorado Springs Klan president, Watler Breachway (Ryan Eggold). This relationship turns into a lengthy, emotional investigation that tests the brotherhoods of black, blue, and white.
Through this investigation, we see how this extreme hatred is normalized in the lives of the Klan members, as well as how the trauma of bombings, lynchings, and police brutality are internalized by the black community. Although “BlacKkKlansman” focuses on the black and white issue of race in America, aspects of anti-semitism and sexism are interjected.
Stallworth’s partner and undercover double, Detective Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) must hide his Jewish heritage to gain knowledge of the Klan. His Jewish features are questioned as he builds a reputation in the Klan via the investigation. Zimmerman confronts Stallworth after his life is threatened on the basis of his heritage. He wants out of the investigation. He blames Stallworth’s “crusade” for his emotional turmoil surrounding the erasure of his Jewish heritage in childhood, as well as his unsettling confrontation with it in his adult life.
Women in “BlacKkKlansman,” both radical, black and white, are on the forefront of the race war in America. The women in this film vehemently defend their beliefs, forcing their male counterparts to rise to the occasion, either through a Black Power fist or Nazi salute.
The use of feminine characters softens the harsh reality of racism. The doting nature of the white supremacists’ wives in a knighting ceremony of Klan members and serving snacks at a Klan house meeting makes these wives the epitome of the domestic servant. When these women applaud, cheer, and encourage the deaths of innocent black people, the audience laughs to prevent tears. This behavior is humor on screen but transcends time to further the narrative of generational racism.
“BlacKkKlansman” recounts the lexicon of hate from the 1960s and 1970s verbatim. With accurate portrayals of the time, including clothing, music, and scenery, the hate that spews is still prevalent in society today. As it goes unchecked we see events like Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and Ferguson
When “BlacKkKlansman” comes to a perceived close, the ingeniousness of a Black cop infiltrating the most violent and racist faction in the country seems too good to be true. The image of a burning cross in the distance makes us question how far we are willing to go to protect and defend what is right for the betterment of society as a whole.
