Malcolm X

Malcolm X is a biographical film directed by Spike Lee. At 202 minutes long I'm glad that we watched this film in chunks because I certainly would not be able to have sat through the whole thing. What's powerful about this film is the focus on the other side of the civil rights movement. Often in school we focus on Martin Luther King Jr.'s efforts because Malcolm X was seen as overly "aggressive". Everyone likes a peaceful hero. What this movie shows us though is the idea of fighting fire with fire.

Through the length of the film the viewer first learns of Malcolm's past before he was a civil rights leader. It's helpful to see how someone developed prior to their impact and accomplishments because it gives a background of why they have a certain point of view and how they came to be the person they are. I enjoyed this movie over all because I learned something and I'm into history in general, but thats besides the point. Spike Lee did an incredible job in depicting Malcolm X's life and put to light his impact on civil rights.