DETROIT

Plot:

During the summer of 1967, Detroit, Michigan had experienced one of the worst racial riots this country had ever seen. In the midst of the devastating riot, on the night of July 25, 1967 another horrific event took place at the Algiers Motel. When one of the patrons fooling around with a starter pistols fires off some shots, the National Guard and Michigan State police assumed that they were under attack by a sniper. They set their sights on the Algiers Motel and surrounded the premise, but it is when the local Detroit police comes on the seen that things would take an extreme turn for the worst. The police led by a racist, trigger happy officer named Krauss (Poulter), would round up the guest only after he has shot and killed one young man. The group of young black men, consisting of Larry (Smith) who was a member of the Dramatics, and his friend Fred (Latimore), along with Greene (Mackie), who was caught in the room with two white women Julie (Murray) and Karen (Dever) were some of the victims to experience the graphic and brutal beatings at the hand of Krauss and his men, leading up to the murder of two more black men. This all took place while the National Guard and the Michigan State police, along with one black security officer Dismukes (Boyega) who came upon the scene stood by and did nothing. It was a night of horror for the group, inflicted upon them as the city burned with racial hatred.


Reel Talk:

This is one of those films that after seeing it you are left with a heavy heart. Any humane person, but especially a black person will be left with a feeling of unease. One because of the way that blacks were treated during that period of the riot, and although that was some fifty years ago we are still dealing with some of the same situations present day. Going into the theater you already know the outcome with regards to the riot and the effects it had on the people then, but to see it played out on the screen, is harsh. The relatively young cast did a good job in the portrayal of their respected characters. Will Poulter as the racist cop Krauss really put in a performance as well as Algee Smith as Larry, John Boyega as Dismukes, Jacob Latimore as Fred, Ben O'Toole and the ladies Hannah Murray and Kaitlyn Dever, just naming a few along with the talented director Kathryn Bigelow. This movie is definitely intense, with graphic and brutal violent scenes. Certainly not for the person with weak and sensitive feelings, but it is a film worth checking out. This is an interestingly good film, with a good cast and I recommend checking it out. Worth cashing out to see first hand the injustices of racism.

Starring: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jacb Latimore, Jason Mitchell, Hannah Murray, Kaitlyn Dever, Ben O'Toole and Anthony Mackie.
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER