Review: Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Well, a year after finally winning his first Oscar for Black Klansman, Spike Lee is back again with another joint--no less politically on the nose, but perhaps a little more heavy this time. By coincidence, this film, which as you would expect from him has a lot of blunt commentary on the African-American experience, has come out around some fairly tumultuous real-life events. Be it by coincidence or design, it also highlights that, in many ways, a lot hasn't changed in the last half-century. Still, before we get too far ahead, let's take a look at what Lee has set up with Da 5 Bloods.

Out on Netflix (despite ongoing epidemics, this was apparently more or less the plan from the beginning), this one was based on a project by Oliver Stone, who dropped it off and let Lee repurpose it into something much more pertinent to him. It does remind me a little of David Russel's 'Three Kings', albeit in a much broader sense. And with nods to things like Apocalypse Now , it seems Lee picked a healthy share of inspirations.

Storywise, four ageing African-American Vietnam vets return to the country itself--seemingly at first just to reunite, but it becomes apparent that what they're after is a deposit of CIA-supplied gold lost in the jungles. Some of the members are more altruistic in their intent, but we quickly note that Delroy Lindo's Paul has been left a little less stable by his experiences than the rest. His son, David (Jonathan Majors), also tags along, and the opening act also introduces a wide cast like Jean Reno's shady businessman, who comes into play more later.

The first half or so feels a little jumbled--this being a Spike Lee film, we of course have the not exactly subtle jabs at everything from Donald Trump to Rambo, as well as a lot of Powerpoint-like images inserted to emphasize the various historical notes referred to (which starts to feel a bit old after a bit). However, what's more bemusing are the 'flashbacks' to the Vietnam War--done in a grainy 16mm 1970s grindhouse style, with a shrunken aspect ratio and everything. Lee doesn't bother to de-age or alternately cast the leads, making them stand out almost comically around their legendary deceased sergeant, Norman (who, as the marketing makes very clear, is played by Chadwick Boseman). There's fun to be had with these bits, and they make more entertaining punctuation.

As we meander on, we have a slightly jumbled tone as the film shifts from that, to buddies reminiscing, to travelogue-like episodes--but then, thankfully, as you expect from Lee, he delivers a gut-punch in the middle that resets things and keeps it tighter from there. Sanity starts to fray here, relationships between the titular Bloods start to turn in all sorts of ways, and there's one gruelling shot that makes all the stuff earlier contrast jarringly. The acting, which is fortunately on point through the film, really shines here. I give full props to Lindo, who plays the spiralling death-seeking Paul with sweat-dripping intensity that pulled me all the way in--he very effectively steals the whole damn movie here.

There's several side characters, some of whom are more fleshed out than others, and various violent baddies the Bloods have to contend with--but it does feel somewhat secondary to Paul confronting his personal demons in his jungle delirium. Still, while it's not as even as Black Klansman nor as theater-cheer inducing, I did very much enjoy the second half of the flick, and when we do get to the end, with Lee highlighting causes and more of his historical stock footage, it does feel like a well-earned bookend by then.

While I do prefer his prior film, this still ultimately proves a solid well-directed watch when it does eventually hit its stride--not that the earlier parts don't have their highlights (such as when Otis, played by Clarke Peters, reunites with his estranged Vietnamese family in another good example of reactions speaking louder than words), but they do feel somewhat more cobbled together. Regardless, the film does come at just the right time, so perhaps by sheer happenstance, Lee gets to makes his points with even more sharpness than he usually does. It might be a slower burn, but for when it really starts crackling, it's worth a look.