X
- 1992
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 3 h 22 m
- 1992
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 3 h 22 m
Summary Often misunderstood, Malcolm X was one of the leading forces of the United States' Civil Rights Movement. He inspired many--and frightened many--but is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest men of his era. This riveting biography directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington in an Academy Award-nominated performance rev...
Directed By: Spike Lee
Written By: Arnold Perl, Alex Haley, Malcolm X, Spike Lee
- 1992
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 3 h 22 m
- 1992
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 3 h 22 m
Malcolm X
73
7.7
Where to Watch
Summary Often misunderstood, Malcolm X was one of the leading forces of the United States' Civil Rights Movement. He inspired many--and frightened many--but is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest men of his era. This riveting biography directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington in an Academy Award-nominated performance rev...
Directed By: Spike Lee
Written By: Arnold Perl, Alex Haley, Malcolm X, Spike Lee
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
73
67% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
33% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
73
67% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
33% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Washington has never been better, capturing the greatly varied phases of Malcolm’s personality while always giving us a full sense of a single man: sharp, smart, with a quick smile but also a simmering, righteous anger.
The film is inspirational and educational - and it is also entertaining, as movies must be before they can be anything else.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 87 User Ratings
7.7
84% Positive
73 Ratings
73 Ratings
9% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
7% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 87 User Ratings
7.7
84% Positive
73 Ratings
73 Ratings
9% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
7% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
A fascinating illumination of one of American history's most influential, charismatic and complex individuals, "Malcolm X" has a raw, passionate power steeped in Spike Lee's sweeping, evocative direction and the towering performance of Denzel Washington in the lead, who throws himself into the role of Malcolm X so completely it's incomprehensible any other actor could do a better job.
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Lee's finest, most unabashed labor of love.
While the film glides from Malcolm's early years as a hustler and petty criminal to his emergence in the Nation of Islam, it plays surprisingly safe as a solidly crafted trawl through the didactic/hagiographic conventions of the mainstream biopic.
With Malcolm X, Lee doesn’t so much inject his sensibilities into the lifeline of his subject, but rather comes to see how his place as a film director can be integrated within the social movement of X’s message.
The picture comes up short in several departments, notably in pacing and in giving a strong sense of why this man became such a legend.
Lee has tried hard to give this shapeless picture some visual patterning though the cluttered effect created by his mistrust of silence is even more harmful than in the past.
In Spike Lee's epic tale of legendary civil rights leader Malcolm X, he successfully creates one of the most provocative, disturbing, but enlightening biographical dramas I've ever gotten the chance to watch. A film that is not only a way for African-Americans everywhere to rightfully embrace their heritage, but a film that gives people of all creeds, races, and ethnicities a chance to realize that we can live in perpetual harmony with one another. The movie is anchored by arguably one of the most moving, dynamic, and emotional biographical performances thus far - Denzel Washington's Malcolm X. Washington gives such a diverse and vivid portrayal of the man. From his troubling days as a misunderstood youth, to his successful moments as a rising voice within the Nation of Islam, to his final days as an enlightened, reformed human being, Washington depicts every moment to a sharp and polished degree. Every technical aspect of the movie is executed to a near perfect degree. Whether it's the camerawork, the lighting, the sets, or the score, Spike Lee successfully manages to use every one of the aforementioned factors to add to the film's thick mood. "Malcolm X" is a drama that is long, yes, but it is necessary for everyone to see. For the rise and fall of this young man is not only complex and tragic, but it's unbelievably inspiring.
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One of the movies that put Denzel Washington in the showcase; in the role of one of the most charismatic and controversial civic leaders of the 20th century. The follow-up of his story is as faithful as possible, although in some details it feels like plenty of footage. Other than that, it's a movie worth the effort.
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suffering for attaining an uneven and imbalanced state of peace..
Malcolm X
2 And A Half Out Of 5
Malcolm X is a character driven feature that focuses on justifying the characters rather than rechecking the material twice or even a clock for that matter. The journey of the protagonist depicted in here is a bit overstretched and not elaborated which comes off as a bit downer but since there is enough concrete material to feed the audience throughout the course of it, one can easily neglect it. It is short on technical aspects like cinematography, background score, art design, sound department and editing although is rich on costume and production design. The writing follows a rudimentary process of a rigid structure that is extracted directly from the textbook, it lacks maturity and smarter approach. The screenplay by Arnold Perl and Spike Lee is effective and creates a greater impact than anticipated among the viewers but unfortunately it also lags a lot. Spike Lee; the screenwriter and director, has done a tremendous work on executing the script on screen and it is undeniably Lee's feature as he speaks volume in every frame. The performance objective is taken hold by Denzel Washington with conviction and he does carry it all on his shoulder with head held high for around 200 minutes. Malcolm X is a process of suffering for attaining an uneven and imbalance state of peace that results in so latter, that the audience barely cares about the outcomes for they are having a time of their life encountering just the process.
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Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• 2 Wins & 6 Nominations
