--- title: "Judas and the Black Messiah" year: 2021 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/judas-and-the-black-messiah" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 22 published: "2026-09-20T08:03:45.648286+00:00" updated: "2026-09-20T08:03:58.597936+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Directed by Shaka King · 2h 05m · MPA R · Drama, History **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 78 from 22 reviews *In a sentence:* The informer gets the plot, the chairman gets the speeches, and the speeches win > Shaka King tells Fred Hampton’s story through the FBI informant who sold him, and gets two fine performances out of the arrangement. The speeches are electric and the frame around them is a thriller; the join shows, and we recommend it anyway. ## Synopsis Chicago, 1968. Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) steals cars by flashing a fake FBI badge, until the real Bureau catches him at it. Special agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) gives him a choice between a long prison sentence and a job: join the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and report on its chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). O’Neal joins, keeps his head down and works his way towards Hampton’s security detail, while Hampton runs free breakfasts for schoolchildren, speaks in packed church halls and tries to bring rival street gangs and poor white groups into a single coalition. Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback), a poet who joins the chapter, draws closer to him. In Washington, J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) wants the chairman stopped, and his agents know it. Mitchell keeps paying. ## Review Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) steals cars in Chicago with a fake FBI badge, until the real FBI picks him up. Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) offers him a way out of a prison sentence: join the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party and report on its chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). Shaka King’s second film tells Hampton’s story from the margins, through the man paid to watch him, and the title tells you what King thinks of that man. It is a good film with a flaw in its foundations, and the flaw is the decision that makes it a thriller. Hampton was a talker, and the film gives him a church, a hall and a crowd and lets him go. Kaluuya works the speeches from the chest, dropping to a rasp on the refrains, and Sean Bobbitt shoots him low and close so the ceiling presses down on him. We are not easily moved by a man at a lectern. We were moved twice, and the second time we noticed we had stopped looking at Stanfield, standing at the edge of the frame doing what the Bureau pays him for. That is the film’s case in one shot: you cannot listen to Hampton and keep your distance, and O’Neal is trying to. Off the stage Kaluuya is quieter and better. Hampton walks into a hall where the Young Patriots, poor white Southerners with a Confederate flag on the wall, are meeting, and talks them into a coalition without pretending to like the flag. With Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback), a poet who joins the chapter, he is formal and slightly clumsy, and Fishback plays her as the one person who sees him whole rather than as a chairman. Their scenes are small, a kitchen, a bed, a notebook, and they are where we felt most for anyone. Stanfield has the harder job and the thinner script. O’Neal is written as a man with no politics who wants a car and his freedom, and Stanfield gives him eyes that never settle and a laugh that arrives a beat late. His best scenes are with Plemons: a steak dinner, Mitchell’s living room, the agent talking about his baby while an envelope moves across the table. Plemons is a reasonable-sounding man who never raises his voice and never asks what the job is for. Charlese Antoinette Jones’s costumes keep score; as the envelopes get thicker, O’Neal’s coats get better. But the film cannot decide what O’Neal thinks, and declines to show us. It opens with a recreation of a television interview he gave years later, returns to it, and he gives nothing away. The screenplay, by King and Will Berson, could not find him and settled on calling the blankness a mystery. The man whose name comes first in the title is the least legible person on screen, and 125 minutes is a long time to spend behind eyes that will not tell you what they see. The other weak stretch is the Bureau’s top floor. Martin Sheen plays J. Edgar Hoover under prosthetics, asking his agents what they would do if their daughters brought home a black man. Something like it was said, we do not doubt, and we still winced, because everywhere else King trusts the ordinary to be frightening and here he reaches for a monster. Mark Isham and Craig Harris’s score, low brass and unsteady percussion, works well on the streets and badly here, underlining lines that were already underlined. The rest of the craft is sound. Sam Lisenco’s Panther office, posters, hand-lettered signs, breakfast tables, looks used rather than dressed, and Bobbitt gives the winter city its sodium orange and leaves the FBI the greys, so you know whose scene you are in before anyone speaks. Kristan Sprague cuts the one gun battle for geography, so we know which window the shots are coming from, and cuts the meetings for faces, which is harder. Watch it for Kaluuya, stay for Fishback, and accept you will leave knowing the chairman better than the man who sold him. The film assumes you know the history. If you do not, do not look it up first. *Fi1m score 80, published 20 September 2026.* ### Reviews we read (22) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (90/100, inferred): Kaluuya’s charismatic, multifaceted performance as Fred Hampton restores the slain leader to vivid life as an orator, coalition-builder, and idealist. The film delivers a searing, honest portrait of Black Panther activism and institutional racism through strong performances and focused storytelling. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-02-01/judas-black-messiah-review-kaluuya-stanfield) - **Sight and Sound** (90/100, inferred): Shaka King’s excoriating drama lays bare the FBI’s dirty war against Black Americans through the story of informant William O’Neal infiltrating the Illinois Black Panthers ahead of Fred Hampton’s assassination. The critic praises the film’s flinty moral clarity and the strong performances by Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/judas-black-messiah-shaka-king-william-o-neal-daniel-kaluuya-fred-hampton) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the powerful performances by Kaluuya and Stanfield in this scalding account of oppression, revolution, and betrayal, highlighting its relevance today. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/judas-and-the-black-messiah-film-review-sundance-2021-4125194/) - **Empire** (85/100, inferred): Buoyed by standout performances, this is a spry, exhilaratingly furious and beautifully acted elegy. The central trio of Kaluuya, Stanfield and Fishback are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/judas-and-the-black-messiah/) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (85/100, inferred): This is a nuanced triumph and searing elegy with electric performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield. The strong chemistry and handling of revolution and betrayal are praised. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-black-panther-b918195.html) - **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): Shaka King’s vital, heartbreaking film for now delivers a punchy, full-bodied tale of passion, politics and betrayal. Kaluuya’s galvanising lead performance and immersive direction are praised. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review/) - **The AV Club**, Katie Rife (B+): The film is an electrifying showcase for Kaluuya and Stanfield's contrasting performances, with strong ensemble and relevant depiction of the Panthers' struggle. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/judas-and-the-black-messiah-is-an-electrifying-showcase-1846176438) - **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (80/100, inferred): A gripping drama elevated by award-worthy lead performances. The critic singles out the complex, contradictory portrayal of the informant O'Neal and the charismatic, rounded depiction of Hampton. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/14/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-truly-gripping-black-panther-drama) - **The Independent** (80/100, inferred): The film slickly transforms Fred Hampton's story into an accessible act of canonisation with mainstream appeal. Kaluuya's humanised yet magnetic portrayal of Hampton is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/judas-and-the-black-messiah-film-review-b1814847.html) - **The i Paper** (75/100, inferred): The film is a trenchant and infuriating study of state brutality told through the informant's eyes. Stanfield's nuanced performance as O'Neal is highlighted amid the unsparing depiction. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-black-panther-fred-hampton-908926) - **The Telegraph** (75/100, inferred): A nerve-wrenching conspiracy thriller about the FBI plot against Fred Hampton. The critic singles out the sensational central performances by Kaluuya and Stanfield for particular praise. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/judas-black-messiah-review-death-fred-hampton-fbi-assassination/) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (Critic’s Pick): The film is a tense, methodical historical drama centered on the informer Bill O’Neal and the targeted leader Fred Hampton. Kaluuya’s performance as Hampton powerfully embodies the character’s mythic and human dimensions. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/movies/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review.html) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (50/100, inferred): The betrayer O’Neal’s story dominates and energizes the film more than Hampton’s, which feels calculated rather than fully embodied despite Kaluuya’s commitment. The movie excels at depicting the FBI’s manipulations but renders Hampton’s revolutionary depth somewhat ordinary and hagiographic. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/judas-and-the-black-messiah-reviewed-a-drama-of-revolutionary-activism-is-submerged-by-its-sentiments) - **Vulture**, Angelica Jade Bastién (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film fails to capture the complexities of Blackness or the depravity of white supremacy, with poorly developed characters and a muddled script that co-opts radical history. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/judas-and-the-black-messiah-movie-review-hbo-max.html) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The critic calls the film a searing portrait of power struggles in America, praising its nuanced handling of Black Panthers history, strong performances by Daniel Kaluuya and Dominique Fishback, and focus on personal stakes amid larger institutional conflicts. [Read](https://collider.com/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-hbo-max/) - **NME**, Paul Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic highlights powerhouse performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield in a confident, stylish film that captures the era's energy and delivers angry, important, relevant filmmaking about a message that matters. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-2870573) - **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (85/100, inferred): The critic describes it as an intimate character study and propulsive commentary on the FBI's targeting of Fred Hampton, praising the dual performances of Kaluuya and Stanfield, timely relevance, and stylistic ambition while noting its corrective approach to similar films. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2021/02/10/movies/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-fred-hampton-black-panthers-movie) - **The Wrap** (85/100, inferred): Shaka King’s sophomore feature is a radical, impeccably conceived work about Fred Hampton and the Black Panthers that speaks directly to the present. It stands out for its assured direction, classical cinematography, and magnetic lead performances by Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/judas-and-the-black-messiah-film-review-daniel-kaluuya-lakeith-stanfield/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (80/100, inferred): The film is a raw and exciting account of the Black Panthers and Fred Hampton that powerfully mirrors current political divisions. Director Shaka King gives the story gravitas through strong performances, especially LaKeith Stanfield as the conflicted informant. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/judas-and-the-black-messiah-daniel-kaluuya-lakeith-stanfield-sundance/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic praises the lead performances by Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield as career-defining, highlighting the film's kinetic style and urgent portrayal of history, though noting some underdeveloped supporting elements. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review-cast-hbo-max-release/) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (8/10): The critic praises the fantastic performances by LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya that bolster the taut drama. The script is noted for not fully developing the characters or balancing the story between the two leads. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/579130/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review/) - **Polygon**, Roxana Hadadi (50/100, inferred): The critic finds it a powerful but uneven story undermined by centering the betrayer O'Neal over Hampton, praising Kaluuya's magnetic performance and key scenes while criticizing the structure and focus on oppressors. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/movies/2021/2/12/22280556/judas-and-the-black-messiah-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Shaka King - **Director:** Shaka King - **Screenplay:** Shaka King, Will Berson - **Story:** Will Berson, Shaka King, Keith Lucas, Kenny Lucas - **Cinematography:** Sean Bobbitt - **Editor:** Kristan Sprague - **Music:** Craig Harris, Mark Isham - **Production design:** Sam Lisenco - **Costume design:** Charlese Antoinette Jones - **Producer:** Shaka King, Ryan Coogler, Charles D. King - **Cast:** Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton; LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O'Neal; Jesse Plemons as Roy Mitchell; Dominique Fishback as Deborah Johnson; Ashton Sanders as Jimmy Palmer; Algee Smith as Jake Winters; Darrell Britt-Gibson as Bobby Rush; Lil Rel Howery as Wayne - **Runtime:** 2h 05m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 12 February 2021 - **Genres:** Drama, History - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2021) - **Budget:** $26 million - **Box office:** $6 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ivHf4ODMi4 ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $9.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-20.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2021: Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (won) ## If you liked this - *The Spook Who Sat by the Door* (1973): A black CIA recruit turns his training on the state; angrier and rougher than King. - *Army of Shadows* (1969): Melville’s Resistance film, where the informer question is answered without a raised voice. - *Malcolm X* (1992), Fi1m 79: Spike Lee and Denzel Washington on another orator the state watched closely. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/malcolm-x.md) - *The Lives of Others* (2006), Fi1m 84: The man with the headphones starts listening properly; the film’s quiet inverse. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lives-of-others.md) - *BlacKkKlansman* (2018), Fi1m 78: Infiltration from the other direction, in the same decade, played partly for laughs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/blackkklansman.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/judas-and-the-black-messiah