Malclom X

I and The Chef went to Red Deer Lake Meats one past weekend. That is the subject of another post but on our way, we noticed a Yard Sale and The Chef ordered me to pull over and have a look! There was an Eastern European fella who had some good items and some garbage on his lawn. The Chef's attention was immediately went to a pair of dumbbells and asked the guy how much he wanted for them. The guy stated that the pair would be his for $20. The Chef said that he only needed one! The guy laughed and said he would not sell only one! This has nothing with Malcolm X but when I checked a box full of movies I found Malcolm X on DVD. I asked the guy how much he would let this go. $1 he said! Great! I always wanted to see what has been said about Malcolm X in this movie especially because this is directed by Spike Lee.

The first question which comes to your mind, after a few minutes that the movie starts is: Why would people such as Spike Lee and Denzel Washington who have nothing to do with Islam, take part in a movie which advertises Islam and has many things against Christianity? It's obvious that Lee has always been against White people in his movies. At least that's what he showed particularly in Do The Right Thing and the other film of his Miracle at St. Anna, which was a big failure by the way. But these people are not Muslim! So this is the answer that I haven't gotten yet. In addition to that Nation of Islam which Malcolm X was a prominent member of it and then got booted out and assassinated by them is a sect of Islam like no others. I do not believe they consider themselves either Shia or Sunni. They are Black Muslims with their own believes and interpretations of Islam who contain only a small population of Muslims not only in the US but in the entire world. So this movie could not have been supported by many Muslims around the world.

The movie shows some shocking truth about Malcolm X and is apparently based on an autobiography written by late Alex Haley, the author of Roots. He, at the beginning of his life became a criminal who did everything from B&E to adultery, drug abuse, you name it and then was imprisoned for those crimes. He was then introduced to the leader of Nation of Islam at the time, Elijah Muhammad and became a Muslim. I have listened to some of his speeches and although I am no fan of Nation of Islam or Islam in general I have to say that I was surprised by his skills of him in delivering a speech. I wonder how a criminal who did drug delivery and other street crimes, became a great speech deliverer. 

But of course like many other sects of Islam when he is ejected form Nation of Islam, they didn't tolerate him and sent a few guys to kill him in front of audience and before the eyes of his wife and kids. A few people were arrested, tried and convicted of the crime but of course Elijah Muhammad got away. 

This is not a great movie. Washington delivers a good act though. It's simply just a biography for the people who want to know who Malcolm X was. I was one. Spike Lee has made a sub-par movie, I would say. There are scenes which make no sense. They are cuts which the audience would find hard to understand why they occur! Other acts rather than Washington's are OK. As the film is mostly focused on the lead role, the other's act doesn't matter much. Lee has given himself a role just as well but unlike Do The Right Thing it is not as major role as it was in that movie and his act has nothing significance and extraordinary. I would give 2.5 out of 5 to this movie and one reason would be that despite it's length, 3 h. 20 min.(!) it passes smoothly.

(Photo: I selected one of Malcolm X's quotes as the picture for this post. Just what percentage of people in the entire world do you think would stick to such advice?!)