Da 5 Bloods 🇻🇳
Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend.
Today’s movie is Spike Lee’s war drama Da 5 Bloods (2020)—streaming on Netflix—in honor of star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away after a battle with colon cancer last week at the age of 43. For so many, as the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was the first superhero that looked like them. However, he too was a superhero in his own right. Rest in paradise, Chadwick. Here’s the trailer.
Da 5 Bloods is the true story of four Black Vietnam veterans (Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isaiah Whitlock Jr.) that return to the country in the present day to retrieve the remains of their fallen squad leader (Boseman) and find a treasure they left decades ago. It is 156 minutes long.
What I love about Da 5 Bloods is that on its surface it is a war epic about four Vietnam veterans hunting for treasure and finding their fallen comrade to bring him home. It’s filled with action, adventure, suspense, all masterfully directed by Lee, whose steady hand never lets the narrative leave his grasp.
Eventually, they do find that fallen comrade’s remains and Lindo’s Oscar-worthy monologue at the makeshift grave—laced with relief and regret—tells you everything you need to know about the film. Under the exciting veneer of this adventure, there’s pain at the hands of society and self—for some of these men, they never left Vietnam. And that pain is still here today. Black Lives Mattered then and they matter now.
Da 5 Bloods is streaming exclusively on Netflix.
Additional reading (or watching) 📚
Make it a double feature: Malcolm X
Malcolm X follows the eponymous man (Denzel Washington) from his poor childhood to his young adulthood that eventually led him to prison and finding his faith as a Black Muslim before becoming the civil rights activist we know today. [Where to watch]
The history behind Da 5 Bloods
Spike Lee himself breaks down the true history behind the film. Watch here.
One trailer you should watch: The Haunting of Bly Manor
Have a great week this week.
See you Thursday —
Karl (@karl_delo)