"If a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
A Spike Lee Joint is probably the closest we will ever get to an automatic seal of quality. Because, over his extensive career, I have yet to find anything in his filmography that I didn't like nor could not remember. The films of his I have seen so far have left a lasting impact, and the ones I have not yet seen are only spoken of in praises. There are many reasons, some more prominent than others, as to why this is, but I think the most relevant is that he has never been afraid to make some noise about something important. When you're watching A Spike Lee Joint, you're not just watching an incredible movie, you also see a statement.
The story follows a group of four Vietnam veterans reuniting in Ho Chi Minh City after nearly fifty years. The four of them are there on a unique and personal mission. Their former leader, nicknamed Stormin Norman, was K.I.A during the war and his body was never recovered. Complicating matters is the exact location of his death was lost. That is, until recently, due to a mudslide revealing the remains of a plane crash showed up in some new ariel photos. Having rediscovered the location, the four will now set on a journey through the same jungle they survived as soldiers to find their old friend and bring him home. Not to mention, get rich in the process. See, the plane crash was part of a mission they were on during the war. Upon arriving, they found a treasure chest filled with Gold bars, which was initially part of a CIA funding scheme. Once they retrieved it, they all agree to bury it there and return for it upon the end of the war. The only question is, what will they all do with their new fortune, and how will it change them?
While this is in-and-of-itself a fantastic story, there is a whole lot more to this film. In addition to the classic treasure hunt story and perpetually relevant "Hell of War" commentary, Da 5 Bloods goes even further. Without spoiling exact details, there is a commentary on the black condition, black soldiers in wartime, PTSD, and a proclamation of what is worth fighting for. There is a compelling story, pertinent commentary, and a history lesson all rolled into one fantastic package. From Spike Lee, I would expect nothing less.
One of the aspects of A Spike Lee Joint I always enjoy watching unfold is the use of various formats. Spike Lee loves to utilize multiple types of film-related presentations to shake up the story and differentiate time & space, as well as tone and theme. In Da 5 Bloods, one trick he uses is to shoot the modern-day scenes with a conventional style, while the scenes set during the war are presented in the manner of classic war films from the 1980s. During Hollywood's "let's pretend we won the war" phase. Spike Lee's use of multiple styles and formats provide a unique experience that very few other directors have ever tried.
As this is a film about the Vietnam war, some scenes are difficult to observe. While the more graphic bits are few and far between, and in full service of the story, they will undoubtedly be difficult for some audience members. While I cannot speak from experience, nor would I ever want to, I would put this film on par with the likes of Saving Private Ryan. In that, those who have experienced war will likely have more difficulty seeing parts of Da 5 Bloods than others.
To say anything further about this film would diminish its impact. As much as I would love to go into further details about this movie and why I love it so much, it would only further detract the time you could be spending watching it. Da 5 Bloods is currently on Netflix, so I encourage, nay, implore you to get this film in front of your eyeballs the very second you finish reading this review. I usually don't make these kinds of proclamations, but I think we have our best contender for Best Picture at the Oscars this year. See this movie!
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.
Black Lives Matter!
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