Before we get started, please know that you will get a perspective from my emotional lens and viewpoint when I review a film. If you want a traditional New York Times written review, please go to their page and feel free to revel in their ideas and values towards Black movies and filmmakers. Side Note: This movie is NOT suitable for kids. Do not watch it with them in the room or close by. It’s too much for their young minds to grasp and handle.
OMG! I wasn’t ready!!!! <- This is a phrase used to describe an event or moment in time that heightens your alertness in life.
DA 5 BLOODS is written by Academy Award® Winner Spike Lee, Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo, and Kevin Willmott, and they put their foot in the creation of this piece viewable only on Netflix. The film is based on four African American veterans who travel back to Vietnam to search for the remains of their fallen squad leader Norman (Chadwick Boseman) and reclaim the golden treasure buried with their hands. The expedition involves Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), Melvin (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), and Paul’s concerned son (Jonathan Majors). These men bring the forces of man vs. nature to a new level of crazy AF hysteria.
DA 5 BLOODS shot on location in the cities of Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City in Spring 2019 and the majesty in the sight of the jungle is breathtaking.
As a Black woman, I thoroughly enjoyed this Spike Lee production. During such a time as this in our world, the pieces of historical context that are consciously placed in significant moments of the film create a je ne sais quoi that is hard to explain.
Spike Lee has piqued my interest and enabled me to watch this film to open my “Black Struggle” context horizon. Edutainment is the word I will use to describe the purpose of this art. We get pieces of real history, adventure, drama, trauma, and more. Portraits of systemic racism reign supreme. So many emotions run through you like a roller coaster as the characters take you from one perspective to another.
The character of Paul, portrayed by Delroy Lindo, is beyond astronomical, and I felt every emotion oozed from his pores. Paul took us on a journey as a tin man walking around on earth in need of a new heart. At no fault of his own, Paul never fully recovered from the trauma he endured, and this played a role that we shall always remember. Like he said, when you’ve been done wrong so much in life, you can spot a fake individual a mile away. Delroy Lindo did his thing!
Themes of identifying the broken system within the U.S. Government, father and son relationships, politics, war veterans acclimating themselves back to civilian life, PTSD, the travesty of the VA hospital system, and more. My family served in the Vietnam war, so this movie speaks to me in a unique light. I am also familiar with the horror stories of family members not receiving the best quality of care at times when utilizing the VA hospital system too.
DA 5 BLOODS permeates nuisances of Spike Lee’s reference to Agent Orange and helps us to see good overcome evil in the lasting minutes of redemption. Black Lives indeed Matter and this film celebrates the work of justice for all.
At times, I had to take this film in doses. The scene in which pigeoned toed Eddie (Norm Lewis) meets his fate had me shook!!! I had to turn off the television to process that moment because although it was horrific, it was intriguing to watch. In my lifetime, I have witnessed some traumatic events; however, that scene gave me pause, and I needed time to clear my head. Therefore if you are easily triggered and cannot handle death in its raw form, be mindful and take a break.
And the backdrop of using Marvin Gaye’s music makes me appreciate the storytelling with an appreciative emphasis. The scene in which the acapella version of Marvin Gaye’s hit, “What’s Going On,” allowed me to sing out loud with passion as the scenes moved with haste.
Spike Lee’s alma mater reference to Morehouse also makes this film a homage to historically black colleges which is the heart of who he is as an individual. Overall, I am pleased with the production of DA 5 BLOODS. Bravo.
