Malcolm X; By Anthony Ruggiero

Malcolm X is 1992 Crime/Drama film directed by Spike Lee. The movie stars Denzel Washington (Malcolm X), Spike Lee (Shorty), Angela Basset (Dr. Betty Shabazz), Delroy Lindo (West Indian Archie), Albert Hall (Baines), Al Freeman Jr (Elijah Muhammad). 

The movie starts off with Malcolm X giving a speech about the oppression of the black race by the white race. He accuses whites of murder, rape and slavery. In the years of World War 2 little Malcolm meets with his friend Shorty to go to a barber shop to get his hair straightened so he could look more white. Malcolm grew up poor in Nebraska. One day his house was burned down by the Ku Klux Klan and his father was murdered. One night Malcolm is out with his boss Archie and wins big in a game of where he runs numbers. Archie gets mad and Malcolm cuts ties with him. One night Shorty and Malcolm rob a place and get a get a good amount of money. Back at their place the water stops working while Malcolm is straightening his hair and is forced to use the toilet to wash his hair out. While doing that the cops bust in and arrest Malcolm's crew. The two white women are sentenced to 18 months in prison while Malcolm and Shorty get 8-10 years for fourteen different robbery charges. The sentencing is also agreed on to be served concurrently. On his first day in prison Malcolm is thrown into solitary confinement because he refused to recite his incarceration number. Malcolm finally recites his number and is released fro solitary confinement. He later goes to the showers and meets Baines who is a member of the nation of Islam. After deciding to be taught by Baines, Malcolm is released from prison on parole in 1952. In 1958 Malcolm meets his future wife, Betty Sanders. Later on in his life Malcolm recieves death threats but Baines beileves Malcolm publicizes them for publicity. At the end of the movie Malcolm is killed by three assassins right in front of his wife and daughters. 

Overall I thought the movie was a great one but it was way to long. If the movie was shorter it would have made me want to be more invested in it. Due to its longevity I wasn't to invested in the film even though it was a great one.