Sorry, this movie sucks

Memorable, crazy movie

Just what I expected

Good concept, poorly executed.

Nothing outstanding or special about this movie really. In itself there is nothing wrong with its good and powerful, intriguing story but the way it all gets brought the screen isn't the best or most effective way.It's a made for TV movie, so of course it visually and technically never gets an impressive one to look at. Luckilly it still has some elements to compensate for this, such as the story but also some fine acting by well known actors who make their appearance in this movie. Forest Whitaker looks quite ridicules in his role but at least he really knows how to act and how to play his character.However the way Forest Whitaker looks in this is unfortunately not the only ridicules aspect about this movie. Even though the story in itself is good, it doesn't always have a good flow to it. It also doesn't always progress very convincing. For instance, the one moment the Forest Whitaker is against all action and involvement with the human right group, in the '60's, who fight for the rights of the colored but the next he does not only gets voted leader, he is the one that screams the hardest, fights the toughest and he is willing to risk everything, even though at first he was incredibly protective and kept himself to the background. Not very convincing. Also quite ridicules how all of the KKK-people get portrayed as evil James Bond-type of villains. On top of that, the colored people get all portrayed as soft-spoken, friendly cat loving people to help to make the contrast of good and evil within this movie even bigger. It doesn't really work too well for any of the movie its realism.I really like Bill Duke as an actor and I will love him always for some of his movies ("Commando", "Predator") but it seems that he still has a lot to learn as a director.It's a shame, since the movie itself is trying to tell a real good and intriguing story, that's based on true events. But the movie just doesn't make that much of an impact with it. It all got done in a very average and formulaic way. So it are not only the technical aspect that makes this seems like a very average and cheap movie but also its lacking narrative.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The only nitpick I have with this film is that it is obviously NOT filmed in Bogalusa, LA. It also does not show the poverty of African Americans who lived and worked there - one gets the impression the blacks there were leading perfectly cozy middle class lives, save for racial segregation and oppression. These folks did not live in 3 bedroom nicely decorated, cozy homes. They live in what amounts to shanties and the poverty there is third world. Bogalusa is not some idyllic looking, charming small town. It is a very depressing, gloomy place, centered around a paper mill which smells horrible (and you can smell it all over town). By not showing this it disconnects racial oppression from how bad the economic oppression was (and still is), and it's always there.Other than that, the Deacons rock, and predated the Panthers by several years.

This is supposed to be a historical account, and I believe it to be just that..... so the story itself doesn't get points - I'm just glad that the story is getting out. As a viewer, I was truly moved to anger, to passion, to compassion, and finally to tears of victory over an evil that should be brought out to the light. I give the movie a score of 9 out of ten.... but I can't honestly say what I would do to improve it. The performances of every one were excellent. The children weren't cute moppets, nor were they incredibly heroic. I could relate to the feeling of 'don't rock the boat' that was the world of Marcus, and also the "Never again" battle cries once he realized that, though he is one person, every one of us can make a difference. It was entertaining and inspiring

This excellent made-for-cable movies tells the story of a group of blacks in a small mill town who form a defense group to protect themselves from the brutality of the Klan during the dawn of The 1964 Civil Rights Act. The fact-based story centers around the main character played by Forest Whitaker (who gives his best performance in years) who was arrested and beaten by racist cop for protecting his daughter from being beat during a peace demonstration that turned ugly. After that you see his character transform from a "good nigger" who thought he knew his place to a man who realized that his dignity and family were more important than "yes sah-in'" and "no sah-in'" to the racist white townfolks. There's also good turns from Ossie Davis (I don't think this man has ever given a bad performance) and Jonathan Silverman (quite surprising), but the film clearly belongs to Whitaker. A place in American history that has gotten forgotten and buried over the years. A must-see for history buffs.