Judas and the Black Messiah is one powerful movie. Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) is on the ascendancy as Chairman of the Black Panthers. The government deploys a double agent in William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) to take down Fred and the Black Panthers from the inside. But, O’Neal is conflicted. The movie is full of intrigue and powerful drama, as O’Neal contemplates between joining the good or evil. If you liked this movie, you will love the following movies like Judas and the Black Messiah.
A frequent reader? See our suggestions for other recent movies that came out in February! Movies like The Map of Tiny Perfect Things. Movies like Fear of Rain.
Powerful Movies like Judas and the Black Messiah
1 The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)
We highly recommend this movie before or even after Judas and the Black Messiah. It is a documentary that poignantly captures the rise and fall of a glorious organization in the Black Panthers.
It features interviews and an in-depth look into how FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover went to the extent of using tactics like falsifying personal letters to infiltrate and weaken the famous organization from within. The movie is 2 hours long. It shows you how an organization can be dismantled, systematically, from the inside.
2 American History X (1998)
One of the most iconic movies made about racism. Edward Norton leads as Derek Vinyard, a former Neo-Nazi who goes to jail for killing two black men. Upon his release however, he severs all contact with his former gang. Instead, he tries to convince his brother from going down the same path he did.
The movie conveys several messages, very powerfully. It will be up to you to interpret them how you see fit. The screenplay, the acting and the plot are all riveting. There is one extremely violent scene that is not for the faint of heart.
This is a movie that will make you think about race, human nature and why we all face the hate fueled racial conflicts we face today.
3 The Trial of the Chicago 7
Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers and 6 other alleged ‘ringleaders” are accused of conspiracy by the Nixon administration. Bobby is denied a chance to defend himself in court. Eddie Redmayne plays Tom Hayden, the belligerent judge who presides over the trial.
A telling movie, it all boils down to the scene where the judge allows a single defendant to make a statement, promising leniency if the statement showed remorse. Little did the judge expect what follows next. A movie that will give you the goosebumps as it ends.
This isn’t a movie about Black Panthers though. It is instead about the circumstances surrounding the actual trial of the 7 defendants charged with the countercultural protests of 1969.
4 Breach (2007)
In Breach, the government suspects Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) to be a spy. To infiltrate his world, they send out Eric O’Neill (Ryan Phillippe) to write down everything Robert says. Eric is kept in the dark about the government’s intentions though. He is instead told that he is investigating Robert’s deviant sexual life.
But, what the government didn’t expect was for Robert and Eric to gravitate towards each other. The camaraderie between the two, Eric’s wife having a disdain for Robert and the government’s persistence to expose Robert all beautifully plays into this masterpiece of a movie. Stellar performances by all actors, especially from Chris Cooper who plays the crusty and stoic Robert Hanssen.
5 Training Day (2001)
One of the biggest movies to come out in 2001, Training Day centers around an arrogant and rogue narcotics officer in Alonzo (Denzel Washington). The movie is about Jake (Ethan Hawkes) first day in training under Alonzo’s wing. Jake struggles to come to terms with Alonzo’s corrupt tactics to rid crime from the streets. Yet, he is intrigued by Alonzo’s methods.
But, when Alonzo pushes his luck too far, it’s Jake Vs Alonzo. Trainee vs. Veteran. A fantastic movie that just speeds along on pure adrenaline, covering just a 24 hour deadline.
Denzel is brilliant as a belligerent and arrogant Alonzo. Ethan Hawke is equally brilliant as the unassuming trainee who steps up when he has to. This movie isn’t about race or FBI infiltration like in Judas and the Black Messiah. But, it gives you powerful insights into how the good can be incredibly destructive.
6 Red Sparrow (2018)
Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova, a ballerina. Through some ill fate, she has to decide between death or becoming a ‘Sparrow’, a Russian intelligence agent. When she agrees to become a Sparrow, she has to go to “Sparrow School”. Here, she is trained; martial arts, psychological warfare and the art of using seduction to accomplish her targets.
When she’s ready, she is assigned a C.I.A. agent as a target. But, can she survive as a sparrow in a world of international espionage and double agents.
A good movie that gives you a deep perspective into the life of a Russian Sparrow’s double agent life.
7 I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary that tries to envision the uncompleted works of James Baldwin. Baldwin, in “Remember This House” writes about the assassinations of three powerful black figures in Medgar Evers, Malcom X and Martin Luther King. Baldwin left behind just 30 pages of this book when he passed away in 1987.
Director Raoul Peck takes these 30 pages and runs with it in this powerful documentary narrated by Samuel L. Jackson.
This isn’t a dressed up documentary. It shows it like it was. The documentary revolves around how the three aforementioned iconic black figures sought to seek upliftment of the black people, in their own very unique ways. Some visuals are incredibly violent and disturbing.
To understand racism in America, watching this movie is almost a prerequisite.
So, there you have it. Our list of movies like Judas and the Black Messiah. Have your list to share. Drop it in the comments. Think our list will be liked by your friends who might have also watched Judas and the Black Messiah. Give us a shoutout with a social share!