Dog’s Movie House: “Da 5 Bloods” Ambitious, Unwieldy, Harrowing, Timely!”

Let’s start with “Da 5 Bloods,” shall we? Spike Lee is definitely one of the more divisive cinematic personality in the last 35 years. When he speaks you either want to cheer his activism or punch him in the snoot, sometimes at the same time. What cannot be denied is that he is one of the most talented filmmakers in the world. I happen to believe he articulates his opinions far more eloquently on film than he does when it comes to public speech. “BlacKKKlansman” from a couple of years ago is one of the most entertaining “message” movies I’ve ever seen, keeping the story front and center while never letting the audience forget about the messages about race and inequality.

“Da 5 Bloods” does something similar, although not quite as focused. Spike Lee’s latest is a bit overlong at over 2 1/2 hours and has a tendency to ramble a bit, but it’s still a cinematic journey still worth taking and especially timely giving what we’re going through as a nation at this point.

The story involves a quartet of black friend who served together in the Vietnam War. Paul (Delroy Lindo), Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), Otis (Clarke Peters) and Eddie (Norm Lewis). When we meet them they are older now and planning to go back to Vietnam to retrieve the body of their former commander (a wonderful Chadwick Boseman) and take their share of a missing gold shipment they were sent to retrieve 50 years earlier. Along for the ride is David (Jonathan Majors), Paul’s son, his primary reason being to get closer to his father. Of course things go awry and they have to fight their way free.

Lee is operating on all cylinders here, using different aspect ratios for the flashback sequences and intercutting newsreel footage, along with breaking to fourth wall from time to time. In doing so, Lee creates an amazing series of images and sequences that are equal parts comedy, adventure, serious war epic, and Hollywood blockbuster all rolled into one. The social commentary doesn’t feel forced, (at least, not to me) and is woven into the very fabric of the narrative. He shows, not tells, the inherent racism infected both the time of the Vietnam War and the current day, stating the old axiom “the more things change, the more things stay the same.” This is never more evident in Lee’s refusal to de-age the actors during the Vietnam sequences. It’s a little off-putting at first but the decision makes sense given the themes at work here. The film provides a harrowing dissection of PTSD as well as the double whammy black soldiers had to face when they returned from Vietnam.

While the performances are all uniformly excellent, Delroy Lindo (always underrated, in my humble opinion) is the showstopper here. His way of distilling his character’s unique background as well as his interaction with the rest of the cast make him the man to beat at Oscars. He’s that good. Majors matches Lindo step for step as his son and Boseman is as good as ever as Da Bloods beloved leader.

Overall “Da 5 Bloods” is a mostly excellent, ambitious, and personal bit of filmmaking by one of the best in the business. It’s a little overlong and some of the ingredients don’t always mesh perfectly, but “Da 5 Bloods” is exactly the type of adult oriented filmmaking we need right now! 4 1/2 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer!

The same cannot be said for “Artemis Fowl” a Disney film based on a best selling YA novel (that I’d never heard of until this point) that the studio is planning to develop into the next “Harry Potter” franchise. Despite the best efforts of director Kenneth Branagh (“Thor,” “Murder On The Orient Express.”) this film is a corporate mess. Originally set for release in 2019, delayed for reshoots, then dumped onto Disney+ after the Covid-19 caused the movie theaters to close.

The story involves genius 12-year old Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw) who is trying to find his missing father (Colin Farrell, barely there). That involves a war between faeries and humans and, oh, forget it. The generic plot has been done in several, better films and the details are just so bland that barely anything registers onscreen. Josh Gad’s dirt eating thief is your guide with tons of exposition I didn’t even really care about and, despite his efforts at comic relief, is one of the most annoying characters in the film. Dame Judy Dench is wasted, as is the talented Farrell, and everyone else. Shaw show a bit of talent, but he’s only in half of the 90 minute film (which feels about 3 hours too long, by the way. )

Young audiences may like it, and if you have Disney+, you’re not likely to feel cheated of your hard earned cash, but there are many more alternatives to the corporate cash grab that is “Artemis Fowl.” You’ve been warned. 1 1/2 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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