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Spike Lee 's "Malcolm X" is one of the great screen biographies, celebrating the whole sweep of an American life that began in sorrow and bottomed out on the streets and in prison before its hero reinvented himself. Watching the film, I understood more clearly how we do have the power to change our own lives, how fate doesn't deal all of the cards. The film is inspirational and educational - and it is also entertaining, as movies must be before they can be anything else.

Its hero was born Malcolm Little. His father was a minister who preached the beliefs of Marcus Garvey, the African-American leader who taught that white America would never accept black people and that their best hope lay in returning to Africa. Years later, Malcolm would also become a minister and teach a variation on this theme, but first he had to go through a series of identities and conversions and hard lessons of life.

He was victimized by violence. His father was murdered, probably by the Klan, which had earlier burned down the family house. His mother was unable to support her children, and Malcolm was parceled out to a foster home.

He was the brightest student in his classes but was steered away from ambitious career choices by white teachers who told him that, as a Negro, he should look for something where he could "work with his hands." One of his early jobs was as a Pullman porter, and then, in Harlem, he became a numbers runner and small-time gangster.

During that stage of his life, in the late 1940s, he was known as "Detroit Red," and ran with a fast crowd - including white women who joined him for sex and burglaries. Arrested and convicted, he was sentenced to prison; the movie quotes him that he got one year for the burglaries and seven years for associating with white women while committing them. Prison was the best thing that happened to Red, who fell into the orbit of the Black Muslim movement of Elijah Muhammad and learned self-respect.

The movie then follows Malcolm as he sheds his last name - the legacy, the Muslims preached, of slaveowners - and becomes a fiery street-corner preacher who quickly rises until he is the most charismatic figure in the Black Muslims, teaching that whites are the devil and that blacks must become independent and self-sufficient.

But there was still another conversion ahead; during a pilgrimage to Mecca, he was embraced by Muslims of many colors and returned to America convinced that there were good people of peace in all races.

Not long after, in 1965, he was assassinated - probably by members of the Muslim sect he had broken with.

This is an extraordinary life, and Spike Lee has told it in an extraordinary film. Like " Gandhi ," the movie gains force as it moves along; the early scenes could come from the lives of many men, but the later scenes show a great original personality coming into focus. To understand the stages of Malcolm's life is to walk for a time in the steps of many African Americans, and to glimpse where the journey might lead.

Denzel Washington stands at the center of the film, in a performance of enormous breadth. He never seems to be trying for an effect, and yet he is always convincing; he seems as natural in an early scene, clowning through a railroad club car with ham sandwiches, as in a later one, holding audiences spellbound on streetcorners, in churches, on television and at Harvard. He is as persuasive early in the film, wearing a zoot suit and prowling the nightclubs of Harlem, as later, disappearing into a throng of pilgrims to Mecca. Washington is a congenial, attractive actor, and so it is especially effective to see how he shows the anger in Malcolm, the unbending dogmatic side.

Accomplished storytelling Lee tells his story against an epic background of settings and supporting characters (the movie is a gallery of the memorable people in Malcolm's life). Working with cinematographer Ernest Dickerson , Lee paints the early Harlem scenes in warm, sensuous colors, and then uses cold, institutional lighting for the scenes in prison. In many of the key moments in Malcolm's life as a public figure, the color photography is intercut with a black and white, quasi-documentary style that suggests how Malcolm's public image was being shaped and fixed.

That image, at the time of his death, was of a man widely considered racist and dogmatic - a hatemonger, some said. It is revealing that even Martin Luther King Jr., seen in documentary footage making a statement about Malcolm's death, hardly seems overcome with grief. The liberal orthodoxy of the mid-1960s taught that racism in America could be cured by legislation, that somehow the hopeful words in the folksongs would all come true. Malcolm doubted it would be that simple.

Yet he was not the monolithic ideologue of his public image, and one of the important achievements of Lee's film is the way he brings us along with Malcolm, so that anyone, black or white, will be able to understand the progression of his thinking. Lee's films always have an underlying fairness, an objectivity that is sometimes overlooked. A revealing scene in "Malcolm X" shows Malcolm on the campus of Columbia University, where a young white girl tells him that her heart is in the right place and that she supports his struggle. "What can I do to help?" she asks. "Nothing," Malcolm says coldly, and walks on. His single word could have been the punch line for the scene, but Lee sees more deeply, and ends the scene with the hurt on the young woman's face. There will be a time, later in Malcolm's life, when he will have a different answer to her question.

Romantic relationships are not Lee's strongest suit, but he has a warm, important one in "Malcolm X," between Malcolm and his wife, Betty ( Angela Bassett ), who reminds her future husband that even revolutionary leaders must occasionally pause to eat and sleep.

It is her sweetness and support that help him to find the gentleness that got lost in Harlem and prison.

Al Freeman Jr. is quietly amazing as Elijah Muhammad, looking and sounding like the man himself and walking the screenplay's tightrope between his character's importance and his flaws. Albert Hall is also effective, as the tough Muslim leader who lectures Malcolm on his self-image, who leads him by the hand into self-awareness, and then later grows jealous of Malcolm's power within the movement. And there is a powerful two-part performance by Delroy Lindo , as West Indian Archie, the numbers czar who first impresses Malcolm with his power and later moves him with his weakness.

Walking into "Malcolm X," I expected an angrier film than Spike Lee has made. This film is not an assault but an explanation, and it is not exclusionary; it deliberately addresses all races in its audience. White people, going into the film, may expect to meet a Malcolm X who will attack them, but they will find a Malcolm X whose experiences and motives make him understandable and finally heroic.

Reasonable viewers are likely to conclude that, having gone through similar experiences, they might also have arrived at the same place.

Black viewers will not be surprised by Malcolm's experiences and the racism he lived through, but they may be surprised to find that he was less one-dimensional than his image, that he was capable of self-criticism and was developing his ideas right up until the day he died.

Spike Lee is not only one of the best filmmakers in America, but one of the most crucially important, because his films address the central subject of race. He doesn't use sentimentality or political cliches, but shows how his characters live, and why.

Empathy has been in short supply in our nation recently. Our leaders are quick to congratulate us on our own feelings, slow to ask us to wonder how others feel. But maybe times are changing. Every Lee film is an exercise in empathy. He is not interested in congratulating the black people in his audience, or condemning the white ones. He puts human beings on the screen, and asks his audience to walk a little while in their shoes.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Malcolm X (1992)

Rated PG-13 For A Scene Of Violence, and For Drugs and Some Language

202 minutes

Denzel Washington as Malcolm X

Angela Bassett as Betty Shabazz

Albert Hall as Baines

Directed by

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Review/Film; 'Malcolm X,' as Complex as Its Subject

By Vincent Canby

• Nov. 18, 1992

Malcolm X lived a dozen different lives, each in its way a defining aspect of the black American experience from nightmare to dream. There was never any in-between for the man who was initially called Malcolm Little, the son of a Nebraska preacher, and who, when he died, was known by his Muslim name, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Malcolm traveled far, through many incarnations to become as much admired as he was feared as the black liberation movement's most militant spokesman and unrelenting conscience.

Malcolm was already something of a myth when he was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in New York on Feb. 21, 1965, just three months short of his 40th birthday. The publication later that year of "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," his remarkably vivid testament written with Alex Haley, eventually consolidated his position as a great American folk hero, someone whose life speaks with uncanny pertinence to succeeding generations, white as well as black.

Taking the autobiography and a screenplay by Arnold Perl that was begun more than 20 years ago (Perl died in 1971), Spike Lee has attempted the impossible and almost brought it off. His new "Malcolm X" is not exactly the equal, or even the equivalent, of the book, but it's an ambitious, tough, seriously considered biographical film that, with honor, eludes easy characterization.

"Malcolm X" will offend many people for all the wrong reasons. It is neither so inflammatory as Mr. Lee's statements about it would have you believe nor so comforting as might be wished by those who would call a halt to speculation concerning Malcolm's murder. It is full of color and exuberance as it tells of life on the streets in Boston and New York, but it grows increasingly austere when Malcolm is arrested for theft and sent to prison, where he finds his life's mission. The movie becomes proper, well mannered and somber, like Malcolm's dark suits and narrow ties, as it dramatizes his rise in the Nation of Islam, founded by Elijah Muhammad.

Mr. Lee treats the Nation of Islam and its black separatist teachings seriously and, just as seriously, Malcolm's disillusionment when Elijah Muhammad's fondness for pretty young secretaries is revealed. When, after his split from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm goes on his pilgrimage to Mecca, the film celebrates his new insight into racial brotherhood, which makes his assassination all the more sorrowful.

In the film's view, a god has been recognized, then lost.

Mr. Lee means for "Malcolm X" to be an epic, and it is in its concerns and its physical scope. In Denzel Washington it also has a fine actor who does for "Malcolm X" what Ben Kingsley did for "Gandhi." Mr. Washington not only looks the part, but he also has the psychological heft, the intelligence and the reserve to give the film the dramatic excitement that isn't always apparent in the screenplay.

This isn't a grave fault, nor is it singular. Biographical films, except those about romantic figures long since dead like "Lawrence of Arabia," carry with them responsibilities that tend to inhibit. Mr. Lee has not been inhibited so much as simultaneously awe struck and hard pressed.

"Malcolm X" is frank about what it sees as the murder conspiracy, which involves a combination of people representing the Nation of Islam and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Yet in trying to cover Malcolm's life from his boyhood to his death, it sometimes seems more breathlessly desperate than cogently revealing.

The movie picks up Malcolm's story in the 1940's on his arrival in wartime Boston as a bright but square teen-ager from rural Michigan. Malcolm eagerly falls in with the wrong crowd, initially represented by Shorty (Mr. Lee), a street hustler who shows him how to dress (a pearl gray zoot suit) and introduces him to the fast set at the Roseland Ballroom. Malcolm learns how to Lindy and how to wheel and deal. He discovers women and drugs. In addition to his attachment to Laura (Theresa Randle), a sweet young black woman, he develops a far steamier liaison with a thrill-seeking young white woman, Sophia, played by Kate Vernon, who looks a lot like Carroll Baker in her "Baby Doll" days.

As the film moves forward from the 40's, it suffers spasms of flashbacks to Malcolm's childhood in Nebraska and Michigan. These are so fragmented that they may mean nothing to anyone who hasn't read the autobiography. They also don't do justice to the early experiences themselves, especially to Malcolm's time in a white foster home where he excelled in school and was encouraged by well-meaning adults who did not hesitate to refer to him as a "nigger."

Mr. Lee is very good in his handling of individual sequences, but until very near the end, "Malcolm X" fails to acquire the momentum that makes everything that happens seem inevitable. The film goes on and on in a kind of reverential narrative monotone.

The story of Malcolm X is fraught with pitfalls for any movie maker. Mr. Lee is creating a film about a man he admires for an audience that includes those who have a direct interest in the story, those who may not have an interest but know the details intimately and those who know nothing or only parts of the story. It's a tricky situation for anyone committed to both art and historical truth.

Mr. Lee's method is almost self-effacing. He never appears to stand between the material and the audience. He himself does not preach. There are no carefully inserted speeches designed to tell the audience what it should think. He lets Malcolm speak and act for himself. The moments of confrontational melodrama, something for which Mr. Lee has a particular gift, are quite consciously underplayed.

In this era of aggressive anti-intellectualism, the film's most controversial subtext might not even be recognized: Malcolm's increasing awareness of the importance of language in his struggle to raise black consciousness. Vaguely articulated feelings aren't enough. Ideas can be expressed only through a command of words.

Before Mr. Lee came to the "Malcolm X" project, other people had worked on it. In addition to Perl's screenplay, there were adaptations by James Baldwin, David Mamet, Calder Willingham, David Bradley and Charles Fuller. In retrospect, it's easy to see what their difficulties might have been.

Though the autobiography is full of characters and incidents, they are only peripheral to the larger story of Malcolm's awkward journey toward intellectual and spiritual enlightenment. Then too, Malcolm's life ended before the journey could be said to have been completed. This is not the sort of thing movies accommodate with ease.

"Malcolm X" never bursts with the free-flowing energy of the director's own fiction, but that's a reflection of the genre, the subject and Mr. Lee's sense of mission. Though the film is being promoted with all sorts of merchandise on the order of T-shirts and baseball caps, the one item that promotes it best is the new book, "By Any Means Necessary: The Trials and Tribulations of the Making of 'Malcolm X,' " by Mr. Lee with Ralph Wiley, published by Hyperion.

In addition to the screenplay, the book has an extensive report on the research Mr. Lee did before starting the production. Among the people he interviewed was the Rev. Louis Farrakhan, who succeeded Elijah Muhammad as the head of the Nation of Islam. It was apparently a polite encounter, but Mr. Lee remains sharp, skeptical and uninhibited. He's not a reporter to let anyone else have the last word. It's this sort liveliness that is most missed in the film.

The real triumph of "Malcolm X" is that Mr. Lee was able to make it at all. As photographed by Ernest Dickerson and designed by Wynn Thomas, the movie looks as authentic as any David Lean epic. The large cast of featured players, including Al Freeman Jr., who plays Elijah Muhammad, and Angela Barrett, who plays Malcolm's wife, Betty Shabazz, is supplemented by, among others, Al Sharpton, Christopher Plummer, Bobby Seale, William Kunstler and Peter Boyle in cameo roles.

Nelson Mandela, photographed in Soweto, appears at the end to speak a kind of benediction.

"Malcolm X" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has vulgar language and some violence. Malcolm X Directed by Spike Lee; screenplay by Arnold Perl and Mr. Lee, based on the book "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to Alex Haley; director of photography, Ernest Dickerson; edited by Barry Alexander Brown; music by Terence Blanchard; production designer, Wynn Thomas; produced by Marvin Worth, Mr. Lee, Monty Ross, Jon Kilik and Preston Holmes; released by Warner Brothers. Running time: 199 minutes. This film is rated PG-13. Malcolm X . . . Denzel Washington Betty Shabazz . . . Angela Bassett Elijah Muhammad . . . Al Freeman Jr. West Indian Archie . . . Delroy Lindo Baines . . . Albert Hall Shorty . . . Spike Lee Laura . . . Theresa Randle Sophia . . . Kate Vernon Louise Little . . . Lonette McKee Earl Little . . . Tommy Hollis Brother Earl . . . James McDaniel Sidney . . . Ernest Thompson Benjamin 2X . . . Jean LaMarre Speaker No. 1 . . . Bobby Seale Speaker No. 2 . . . Al Sharpton Chaplain Gill . . . Christopher Plummer Miss Dunne . . . Karen Allen Captain Green . . . Peter Boyle Judge . . . William Kunstler

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Malcolm X: Spike Lee's biopic is still absolutely necessary

The film starring Denzel Washington almost didn’t happen over opposition from the Nation of Islam and a lack of financial backing. It overcame to become the most vital civil rights biopic, argues Ashley Clark

I n 1992, 22 years before Ava DuVernay’s Selma – which is, amazingly, the first major cinema release to feature Dr Martin Luther King Jr as a central character – came another Hollywood study of a key 1960s African American political figure. Malcolm X was Spike Lee’s sixth movie. Based on the 1965 autobiography co-written by Malcolm and future Roots creator Alex Haley, it’s a 202-minute, continent-hopping epic boasting a superbly charismatic, Oscar-nominated performance by Denzel Washington as the eponymous activist and orator.

Divided into three parts, it charts the early days of X (then Malcolm Little) as a zoot-suited ne’er-do-well marauding in Boston and Harlem; the transformative jail years when he converted to Islam; and, finally, his development as a public activist, his relationship with Betty Shabazz (Angela Bassett) and his controversial split from the Nation of Islam, which culminated with his assassination at Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom on 21 February 1965. Malcolm X performed solidly at the box office (taking in $48m against a budget of $33m), and was the first major black-authored studio film to offer a three-dimensional portrait of a black leader whose views and actions clashed vigorously with white America.

Unsurprisingly, the film had a troubled route to the screen, reflecting both the enduring difficulty of telling black stories in Hollywood, and the inherent complexity of dramatising the life of such a divisive figure.

Producer Marvin Worth first acquired the rights to the autobiography in 1967, and the project morphed through a host of unrealised iterations. The first attempt was a script by James Baldwin, who was then drinking heavily, and came under severe pressure from the would-be producer and Malcolm’s former NOI associates, who wanted a say. (Of the experience, Baldwin wrote in 1976: “I think that I would rather be horsewhipped, or incarcerated in the forthright bedlam of Bellevue, than repeat the adventure.”) The script, later edited by once-blacklisted screenwriter Arnold Perl, was for the time being buried, although Perl did direct an Oscar-nominated documentary based on the autobiography in 1972. Efforts by Calder Willingham and David Mamet followed, while a tantalising-sounding version, to be directed by Sidney Lumet with Richard Pryor as Malcolm and Eddie Murphy playing Alex Haley, also failed to launch.

Eventually, Lee signed on to direct in 1990, having fought off competition from the Canadian director Norman Jewison. Lee would work from Baldwin and Perl’s script, and recorded the production process in a bitterly funny book, By Any Means Necessary: the Trials and Tribulations of Making Malcolm X (tellingly subtitled While 10 Million Motherfuckers Are Fucking with You!). Lee revealed how he endured a fraught meeting with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who made specific threats against him; and later clashed with Warner Brothers over budget – in protest he took to calling the studio lot “the plantation”.

The bond company which kept the film afloat in post-production folded, so Lee ploughed $2m of his own $3m fee into the movie. Ultimately, Lee had to call upon a generous, moneyed black talent pool (including Oprah Winfrey, Janet Jackson, Bill Cosby, Tracy Chapman and Prince) for help. Hostility came from other quarters: radical black playwright Amiri Baraka mocked Lee in the media as a middle-class “buppie” and, having obtained a leaked script, appeared with 30 vociferous protestors at a preview screening.

Yet Lee prevailed, and the result combines an epic sweep redolent of Lawrence of Arabia with a pop and experimental energy all the director’s own . Of particular note are the exceptional production values, from Ruth E Carter’s sumptuously detailed period costumes to Ernest Dickerson’s cinematography, which uses starkly different shades and tones to comment on each of the film’s three distinct segments.

Lee takes some artistic licence: Malcolm’s brothers Wilfred, Philbert and Reginald are entirely excised, replaced by the fictional character Baines (Albert Hall), despite Reginald being widely acknowledged as the man who got his sibling involved in the NOI. More problematic is the removal of his half-sister Ella, who funded the pilgrimage to Mecca. Elsewhere, Lee is refreshingly unafraid to depict its subject’s more controversial moments – for example, he includes Malcolm’s comments about JFK’s murder being a case of “chickens coming home to roost”.

Further in keeping with its director’s proclivity for provocation (consider the riot ending of 1989’s Do the Right Thing and the subsequent juxtaposition of quotes comparing Malcolm’s and Martin Luther King’s contrasting views on the use of violence), Malcolm X is notable for the ferocity with which it engages directly with contemporary events. Its opening sequence is an audacious, lapel-grabbing montage comprising grainy, genuine footage of the Rodney King incident, an image of the American flag burning into the shape of an X and a voiceover of Washington-as-Malcolm delivering an incantatory speech directly addressed to American blacks (“I charge the white man with being the greatest murderer on earth. I charge the white man with being the greatest kidnapper on earth ... You are one of 22 million black people who are the victims of America.”)

The film also ends in the present, with an optimistic, pan-African coda featuring Nelson Mandela – only recently released from prison in South Africa – addressing a classroom of black schoolchildren in Malcolm’s own words. By today’s standards, these extra-textual bookends seem astonishingly daring. In contrast, Selma’s explicit dialogue with the present is limited to the Oscar-nominated song Glory, by Common and John Legend, which plays over the end credits and references events in Ferguson. If you leave the cinema too early, you might miss it altogether.

It says plenty about the enduring issues faced by black people in America that these two period pictures, made decades apart, have repeatedly and accurately been described by pundits as “timely”. Selma’s most wrenching scene depicts the police murder of young black protestor Jimmie Lee Jackson, and can’t help but evoke the fates of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, John Crawford, Tamir Rice and Akai Gurley, all of whom were killed by police in 2014. Its thematic accent on the process and psychology of nonviolent protest loudly echoes the Black Lives Matter protests and “I can’t breathe”/“Hands up don’t shoot” chants that have rung around the country since the actions of Daniel Pantaleo in July and Darren Wilson in August.

Malcolm X, meanwhile, was released in the wake of the riots which erupted in LA following the brutal (and ultimately unpunished) police beating of Rodney King. It arrived in a harsh, post-civil rights movement climate of rightwing fundamentalism and the “culture wars” which made demonic scapegoats of black male figures from Willie Horton to the “ Central Park Five ”, and policies such as “broken windows”.

According to Dr Althea Legal-Miller, teaching fellow at University College London’s Institute of the Americas, “Malcolm X emerged from an extension of conversations in the 80s and early 90s about Afrocentric politics, populist black nationalism and hip-hop dialogues from Boogie Down Productions to Public Enemy, whose Bring the Noise starts with a recorded sample from Malcolm’s influential speech ‘ Message to the Grass Roots ’.” She suggests that the hip-hop generation adopted Malcolm because “he offered black youth a blueprint for self-invention that could be fashioned out of the lived experiences of the ghetto, rising black male murder rates, urban impoverishment, neoconservative apathy and ongoing racism”.

Lee’s film was also a powerful statement against an entertainment culture which routinely prioritised the experience of white saviours in civil rights narratives (see: Cry Freedom, Mississippi Burning), or sweetened the bitter pill with soothing depictions of interracial friendships (The Long Walk Home). Although pernicious white saviour narratives persist today (The Blind Side, The Help, Django Unchained), Malcolm X’s influence does finally appear to be taking hold.

Lee Daniels’ idiosyncratic The Butler is one example of an epic, black-focused story which doesn’t rely on the crutch of a white interlocutor, even if its oddly triumphal conclusion comes perilously close to suggesting America’s racial problems were solved by the 2008 election of Barack Obama. Selma, meanwhile, steadfastly refuses to overstate the role of President Lyndon Johnson in the struggle for voting rights, preferring instead to focus on the grassroots campaigners who forced the issue. The scolding response of some commentators to DuVernay’s nuanced portrayal of Johnson indicates how uncomfortable many remain at the idea of a Hollywood treatment of race relations which portrays whites as anything other than straightforward heroes.

So, could a Hollywood film as unapologetically supportive of a radical, controversial black figure be made today on such a grand scale? Or is Malcolm X likely to remain a magnificent, monolithic one-off? Terence Nance, the Brooklyn-based director of films including An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, is pessimistic, pointing toward an economic shift within the black artistic community: “Black wealth at this point has all but completely divested from progressive, art-first (as opposed to profit-first, or story-first) black film and black art in general”, he argues.

“At the time there was at least some small social connection between black wealth and black artist, and I find that this connection no longer exists.”

Nance’s observation is reflected in the subsequent career of Lee, who had to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund his latest film. Legal-Miller is equally unconvinced: “Malcolm X, like all icons, functions as a barometer in an ever-shifting political landscape. Malcolm X is a symbol of rebellion, the ‘us’ against ‘them’, but when the establishment is Barack Obama, constructing Malcolm X in opposition to ‘the man’ would unleash a Malcolm few of us are ready for.”

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MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Malcolm X’: Hero for Troubled Times : Spike Lee Mutes Polemics in Study of Slain Black Leader

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Despite his blistering anger at America, his fury at the way black people were treated by what he saw as a smug and satanic white majority, there was something quintessentially American about the character and accomplishments of Malcolm X. In a country where self-transformation is practically a religion, he was a man who reinvented himself not once but several times, changing from cynical street hustler to an ascetic apostle of racial separation to a man whose concerns for social justice were growing wider and more multicultural when he was brutally murdered at the age of 39.

It is perhaps in recognition of this that Spike Lee’s somber, powerful “Malcolm X” (countywide) opens with an enormous American flag filling the entire screen. Never mind that the flag burns down to a smoldering “X” and is intercut with the Rodney G. King beating footage as Malcolm’s words charging “the white man with being the greatest murderer and kidnaper on Earth” are heard on the soundtrack. The thing to remember is that the last film that opened with an oversized flag was the George C. Scott-starring “Patton,” a model of mainstream Hollywood biography.

For what is surprising about “Malcolm X” is not how very accomplished a piece of filmmaking it turns out to be, but exactly what Lee, who co-wrote the screenplay with Arnold Perl and an uncredited James Baldwin, wanted to accomplish. The unexpected aspect of this forceful, purposeful work by a director with a reputation for being an in-your-face polemicist and provocateur is just how careful and classical a film it finally is.

While length alone (“Malcolm” weighs in at three hours and 21 minutes) makes comparisons inevitable with last year’s meditation on modern American history, Oliver Stone’s “JFK,” this film has a totally opposite objective. While “JFK” was a piece of muckraking revisionism, telling us that everything we believed was wrong, “Malcolm” is consciously aiming at the creation of both a hero and a mythology powerful enough to sustain those whose struggle with racism is still a reality.

With every carefully composed frame, “Malcolm X” tries with remarkable success to be a grand epic for people of color, an African-American counterpart to “Gandhi” that aims to move a controversial thinker and doer who has not been much revered outside of the black community into the heart of the American mainstream. And by turning traditional filmmaking inside out, by using familiar forms to make as incendiary a thinker as Malcolm palatable, Lee may in fact be more subversive than he ever has before.

Hewing fairly closely to “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” as told to Alex Haley, this film tells the story of a brilliant, ambitious and finally abandoned man whose hard-won ability to articulate the rage and despair of the black underclass has yet to be equaled. Part of its power is that it understands that the tensions and prejudices Malcolm railed against are (witness the King footage) still with us, that his anger is still justified. And part of its fascination is that some of his solutions--his belief in family and education, even his emphasis on empowerment and pride in self--seem hardly radical at all.

Of course, the Malcolm who at one time preached strict racial separation because he believed all white men were devils, who famously declared the determination to gain human rights “by any means necessary,” is still more than capable of arousing controversy. Yet by using Denzel Washington as Malcolm, Lee not only retained the services of a superb actor but also someone whose sympathetic persona tends to take some of the sting out of Malcolm’s more biting words.

Washington’s Malcolm is a heroic performance in several senses, calling for him to be on screen in almost every scene and to make all those transformations believable, and the actor does it all with a special grace. The rest of the cast, including Angela Bassett as Malcolm’s wife, Betty Shabazz, Delroy Lindo as Harlem gangster West Indian Archie and Albert Hall as Baines, the key to Malcolm’s conversion to Islam, are excellent across the board. Lee has also shown a puckish side in some cameo casting, using progressive attorney William Kunstler as a racist judge and director John Sayles as an FBI agent.

The director himself has a role in the film’s early going, playing Shorty, a zoot-suited hipster in a yellow plaid ensemble who is young Malcolm Little’s guide to the hustling life in wartime Boston. It is Shorty who gives Little’s red hair its initial process, taking out the kinks with a lye solution, leading to Malcolm’s pleased comment, ironic given all that was to come: “Looks white, don’t it?”

Malcolm, now known as Red, attracts the attention of an attractive blonde named Sophia (Kate Vernon) who believes passionately in love across the color line. Ever restless, haunted by a troubled boyhood we see in flashback, Malcolm moves on to New York, where he becomes the protege of numbers boss West Indian Archie and gets made over into a more stylish kind of hustler.

All of this eventually lands Malcolm in prison, where Baines, a fellow inmate, teaches him to respect himself and believe in the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm has a vision, converts, changes his name to X and vows “to dedicate my life to telling the white devil the truth to his face.”

The rest of Malcolm’s life, from his national celebrity to his break with Elijah Muhammad and the pilgrimage to Mecca that led to a rethinking of his racial attitudes, was lived in the hot glare of publicity. Though parts of Malcolm’s account have been contested by later biographers, Lee remains largely faithful to it, and, except for a kind of black power montage featuring school kids, Nelson Mandela and both Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan that closes the film, does not stray from his even-handed narrative attitude.

Beautifully photographed (with lots of swooping camera movement) by Lee’s longtime cameraman Ernest Dickerson, “Malcolm X” clearly enjoys such visual displays as the choreographed ecstasy of the jitterbug dancing of Malcolm’s Boston days and a mass Harlem celebration of Joe Louis. Though the film supports its great length nicely, it is more necessary for psychological reasons than dramatic ones, assuring the film the imprimatur of a “JFK”-like cultural event the director is unswervingly after.

One of the most interesting aspects of “Malcolm X” (rated PG-13 for a scene of violence, for drugs and some language) is how adroitly Lee, mainly by staying straightforward and cliche-free, has avoided many of the pitfalls its story presented. Though he uses the composite character of Baines as a convenient repository for all that is eventually untrustworthy about the Nation of Islam, Lee in general does not tip his hand via casting, refusing to melodramatize either side. This tactic also ensures that no component of the broad audience Lee is after will be offended by what he has put on screen.

Even Elijah Muhammad (an eerie, restrained performance by Al Freeman Jr.) is portrayed non-judgmentally, as is the question of whether it was his followers or the FBI or some combination that led to Malcolm’s death. Finally what this fascinating film leaves us with is a feeling of sadness that a man who traveled so many roads through so much difficulty should come to die so young on the floor of a Harlem ballroom, a prophet whose honor Spike Lee has taken extraordinary steps to restore.

‘Malcolm X’

Denzel Washington: Malcolm X

Angela Bassett: Betty Shabazz

Albert Hall: Baines

Al Freeman Jr.: Elijah Muhammad

Delroy Lindo: West Indian Archie

Spike Lee: Shorty

A 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks production, in association with Largo International, released by Warner Bros. Director Spike Lee. Producers Marvin Worth, Spike Lee. Screenplay Arnold Perl and Spike Lee, based on the book “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley. Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. Editor Barry Alexander Brown. Costumes Ruth Carter. Music Terence Blanchard. Production design Wynn Thomas. Art director Tom Warren. Running time: 3 hours, 21 minutes.

MPAA-rated PG-13 (a scene of violence and for drugs and some language).

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Malcolm X Reviews

Unusually rich, absorbing and often brilliant film-making, an epic deserving of the description. But that doesn't stop it from being worryingly ambiguous.

Full Review | Dec 14, 2023

The film has no psychological depth and not much sense of history. It takes a purely surface view of people and events.

The movie is long -- 202 minutes -- but Lee earns every tick of the clock, illuminating the many developmental moments in Malcolm X’s personality.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Oct 9, 2023

Washington’s commanding central performance and the intensity with which the story is told make the film feel both brisk and invigorating, challenging our notions of history and what it means to be black in America, then and now.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 27, 2023

In Malcolm X, Denzel Washington delivered the best lead male performance of the 1990s.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Feb 15, 2023

Only a director like Lee could have produced this saga and feature a strong supporting cast with Delroy Lindo, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, and a slew of cameos.

Full Review | Feb 14, 2023

Righteously confrontational though Lee’s film can be regarding the historical record, there’s an embedded idea that collective examination of past history can help us think through the present and lance lasting pathologies.

Full Review | Jan 24, 2023

Spike, never shy about courting and confronting controversy, directly engages with the leader’s initial commitment to armed resistance, his conflict with the Nation of Islam, and his philosophical differences with Martin Luther King...

Full Review | Dec 3, 2022

Spike Lee's Malcolm X is a curiously conventional biopic of an extraordinary individual, dutifully laying out his life story, but ultimately saying little about the man himself.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 21, 2022

While not coded as an anniversary release, the included materials and the timing of release as both 4K UHD and Blu-ray certainly do imply a celebration, both of the film and the people who created it.

Full Review | Nov 21, 2022

I look at Malcolm X as being one of the most important films not to be nominated for Best Picture. Of course, that hasn’t stopped its legacy from building over time.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Nov 21, 2022

It’s an amazing story, and one absolutely done justice by Lee

Spike Lee’s epic-sized biopic covers a lot of ground. The first half is a bit long even though none of its scenes feel wasted. It’s the second half where things really pick up, and the complexities of Malcolm X take shape.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 23, 2022

Malcolm X is a masterpiece, plain and simple. It represents Spike Lee's apex as a filmmaker, the peak for Denzel Washington as an actor, and the career highlight for the rest of the actors and artists involved.

Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | May 17, 2022

Probably Spike Lee's best and most mature film to date. Malcolm X's story is as compelling as Denzel Washington's portrayal of him. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Sep 30, 2021

...paired with it's plodding pace made it's redemptive conclusion too little, too late.

Full Review | Original Score: 60/100 | Aug 27, 2021

The power of X's speeches delivered with such finesse by Washington is the main draw here. His firey Black Nationalist rhetoric might have been too harsh in criticizing the powers that be, but you can't ignore the stings of truth in his words.

Full Review | Jul 25, 2021

Denzel gives the best performance I have ever seen...not one frame is wasted.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Feb 4, 2021

It's one of the best films I have ever seen. This is Spike Lee's greatest work.

Given the keys to the Hollywood kingdom with Malcolm X, Lee both met its tony standards and set it on fire.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jul 23, 2020

Malcolm X (1992)

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Insightful and well-rounded portrait of Malcolm X.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie's ultimate point is that people are equa

Malcolm X is a man who takes many paths before fin

Most of the violence here appears in archival news

Malcolm leaves his chaste girlfriend for a "devil"

The "N" word is heard very frequently here, which

One vintage Coca-Cola ad is visible. During the fi

The main characters are seen drinking whisky in ba

Parents need to know that Malcolm X -- Spike Lee's epic biopic about the black minister, leader, and human rights activist -- features some scenes of racial violence, notably disturbing news footage, and two violent incidents that involve guns and blood. Language is strong, but infrequent, except for many uses…

Positive Messages

The movie's ultimate point is that people are equal and everyone deserves the same amount of consideration, empathy, and tolerance, but the movie takes a long time to get there. It takes Malcolm X many years of trial and error to find his true calling. Up to the final stretch, he is seen living a life of crime (involving drugs, prostitution, etc.) and then preaching hatred and revenge. But the payoff is worth it.

Positive Role Models

Malcolm X is a man who takes many paths before finding the right one. Throughout most of the movie he is not much of a role model, but toward the end, he becomes dedicated to teaching and helping others. He tries to preach empathy and tolerance, rather than hatred and revenge.

Violence & Scariness

Most of the violence here appears in archival news footage, including the Rodney King beating of 1991, and various events from the Civil Rights era. Members of the Ku Klux Klan burn a house, but the family escapes. There's a bar fight, and a man in smashed in the face with a bottle. A man is killed while lying on top of a woman in bed. There are lots of guns, and some disturbing sequences having to do with prison. One Muslim is beat up by cops, and we see blood. Most importantly, there's the assassination of Malcolm himself, which involves some horrifying gun-related violence and blood.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Malcolm leaves his chaste girlfriend for a "devil" white woman that "puts out." No nudity or sex is shown, but he is seen dominating her during their intimate moments. We see kissing and flirting. There are images of prostitution (one customer is about to receive oral sex), and a mention of rape. The movie also deals with the situation in which two women accuse Elijah Muhammad of fathering their children.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

The "N" word is heard very frequently here, which is justified by its historical context. "F--k" is heard once, as is "s--t." Other words include "bitch," "ass," and "hell."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

One vintage Coca-Cola ad is visible. During the film's epilogue, we see images of the famous "X" baseball caps, which became popular around the time of the film's release.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The main characters are seen drinking whisky in bars. Eventually they become involved in selling cocaine. Drugs are mentioned often. One character smokes a cigar.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Malcolm X -- Spike Lee's epic biopic about the black minister, leader, and human rights activist -- features some scenes of racial violence, notably disturbing news footage, and two violent incidents that involve guns and blood. Language is strong, but infrequent, except for many uses of the "N" word. Malcolm's early days living a life of crime include many references to and images of drugs and prostitution, and he also has an active sex life (everything changes when he becomes a Muslim). Teens should be OK, given the overall power and significance of this film, and the undeniably positive message it brings. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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• Parents say (6)
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Based on 6 parent reviews

Best movie about Malcolm X

One of the greatest stories of redemption ever., what's the story.

His home burned to the ground, his minister father murdered, Malcolm Little is taken from his family at an early age to flounder and eventually find opportunity in crime. A long prison sentence turns his life around, for behind bars he meets a man named Baines, who teaches him self-respect and enlightenment through the teachings of Black Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad. Back on the streets, Malcolm sheds his last name and preaches that 400 years of oppression is enough. He tells his congregation not to hate the white man, but to love themselves, to respect themselves, to defend themselves -- by any means necessary. After a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca makes him see that different races can indeed live together harmoniously, his philosophy changes, but not before the hatred he's sparked turns against him.

Is It Any Good?

Based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X , Spike Lee's chronicle of the rise and fall of the outspoken -- and still-controversial -- civil rights leader isn't the angry film one might expect. Perhaps MALCOLM X's greatest achievement is the fair-mindedness with which it treats its subject. Lee is honest in giving us a flawed hero, a man blinded by his cause, a leader unafraid to publicly denounce his own philosophies as he awakens to new and more hopeful ones. Denzel Washington turns in a stunning, dignified performance without ever seeming like he's acting. As his wife, Angela Bassett is also outstanding, as are Albert Hall and Al Freeman Jr. as the men who give his life purpose.

The movie does an excellent job, too, of stressing the importance of education, reminding us that we each have the power not just to change our own life, but the lives of many. That's a terrific seed to plant in the heads of high school students looking toward college and a future career. As with Gandhi , another outstanding true story with similar themes, the movie's lengthy running time doesn't seem at all extravagant, but rather necessary to give a complex life the dimension it deserves.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the advantages and limitations of using movies to dramatize the lives of famous or important people. Can movies tell the story of lives in ways that other media, such as books or radio, can't? Where do they fall short?

Talk about the film's violence . How is it different from, say, an action movie or a thriller? How does it affect you when someone is beat up or shot in this movie?

How do the lessons of this movie apply today? Does discrimination still exist?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 18, 1992
• On DVD or streaming : February 8, 2005
• Cast : Al Freeman , Denzel Washington , Spike Lee
• Director : Spike Lee
• Inclusion Information : Black directors, Black actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Activism
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
• Run time : 201 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : a scene of violence, and for drugs and some language.
• Last updated : March 4, 2024

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• Blu-ray edition reviewed by Chris Galloway
• November 21 2022

See more details, packaging, or compare

One of the most electrifying heroes of the twentieth century receives an appropriately sweeping screen biopic, rich in both historical insight and propulsive cinematic style, courtesy of visionary director Spike Lee. Built around an extraordinary performance from Denzel Washington,  Malcolm X  draws on the iconic civil rights leader’s autobiography to trace his journey of empowerment, from a childhood riven by white-supremacist violence to a life of petty crime to his conversion to Islam and rebirth as a fearless fighter for Black liberation, whose courage and eloquence inspired oppressed communities the world over. An epic of impeccable craft that was made with Lee’s closest creative collaborators and is buoyed by commanding performances from Delroy Lindo, Angela Bassett, Al Freeman Jr., and others, this is a passionate monument to a man whose life continues to serve as a model of principled resistance.

Picture 8/10

The Criterion Collection presents Spike Lee’s Malcom X on Blu-ray, delivering the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 on the first dual-layer disc of this two-disc set. The 1080p/24hz high-definition presentation has been sourced from a new 4K restoration, scanned from the 35mm original camera negative. Criterion has devoted the entirety of the first disc to the film, presenting all of the bonus video features on the second dual-layer disc. I am working from the Blu-ray discs included with the 4K edition , which offer the exact same content as what the standard Blu-ray edition provides. The Blu-ray edition comes in a standard two-disc Scanavo case (the 4K comes in a digi-pak) and of course lacks the 4K disc. The releases are otherwise the same.

Very minor issues aside Criterion’s new high-def presentation looks excellent ,and it delivers a significant boost over Warner’s previous edition that utilized a dated master. This new presentation is far sharper (at least overall) and delivers a film-like consistency through its running time thanks to the improved grain rendering (though I’ll touch on this again in a bit). The restoration has also cleaned up things significantly and outside of damage present in archival material there are no significant flaws or marks to report. Even the footage from Oliver Stone’s JFK (used to depict Kennedy’s assassination in this film) looks fine. The only moments where the materials look a bit off is during the opening section of the film (which looks softer by design, director of photography Ernest R. Dickerson giving this section of the film a unique look) and a scene in a mosque where burned-in subtitles are employed. During this portion there is a slightly dupier look compared to the rest of the film, suggesting a later generation print was used for this small section.

Where I was expecting some issue was in the digital encode since the film has a rather lengthy runtime at 201-minutes. Wisely, Criterion has devoted the entire disc to the film, giving it a lot of room to breath and I think it helps. The encode has some slight issues in places but on the whole I ended up being rather impressed. Grain is rendered in a mostly clean manner, even managing to come out looking fine in the shadows. There is a sequence where young Malcolm (Denzel Washington) is in solitary confinement and on occasion light will leak into the pitch-black room. Impressively the encode handles this sequence well, along with other darker sequences, blending the grain into the shadows in a mostly clean manner. I can’t say I noticed any banding, excessive noise or macroblocking. Grain can look a bit noisy in other areas, though, like the opening sequences that are supposed to take place at sunrise (Lee strutting down the street in his zoot suit), and the encode can have problems rendering brighter reds alongside deeper blacks.

Despite those minor issues I found this Blu-ray presentation a sharp looking one, with it again offering a huge improvement over Warner's very dated presentation.

Criterion presents the film’s soundtrack in lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround. It’s still a surprisingly active and robust mix that takes full advantage of the soundstage. Dialogue is focused primarily to the fronts, moving naturally between the speakers when called for, but range is surprisingly wide when moving from quieter moments to the louder speeches from Malcolm X. Music, whether it be songs within the film or the score itself, is mixed effectively through the surrounds with a nice subtle use of the lower frequency. A scene featuring people dancing to Jr Walker & The All Star’s “Shotgun,” everyone snapping and clapping along with it, is an especially impressive sequence, followed closely by the many moments featuring crowds applauding or hollering. It’s a fantastic mix, far more dynamic than I would have expected.

Extras 9/10

Criterion’s new special edition primarily utilizes previous material produced by Warner Bros., though they have thankfully also recorded a few new interviews. Outside of an audio commentary all of the supplements can be found this release’s second dual-layer disc.

Of the new material, director Spike Lee first pops up in a 26-minute interview conducted by journalist Barry Michael Cooper. Following the disheartening reminder that this year marks the 30th anniversary of its release the two discuss how they first met (Lee had asked Cooper to write the foreword for The Making of Do the Right Thing ) before examining the film’s history and production. The film was of course in development for a long period after producer Marvin Worth bought up the rights to The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley , with director Norman Jewison attached to direct at one point. Lee talks about how he became involved upon hearing of Jewison’s involvement, contacting anyone who would listen to explain that as wonderful a director Jewison is the story would be best told from a Black filmmaker’s perspective, from someone who can better relate to the material. (Jewison would graciously drop out.) From here Lee talks about the many concerns and criticisms brought forth to him once he was in the director’s chair (concerns from the Black community about getting into Malcolm X’s younger years, possible concerns about how the Nation of Islam would react to the portrayal of Elijah Muhammad, and more) before then talking about casting. There’s some great discussion around Lee’s cinematic influences (it was nice to get a confirmation that Lee lifted one shot almost exactly from Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole ) and then a nice section where they focus on the performances. Denzel Washington’s of course comes up, but it was nice to hear Angela Bassett, Al Freeman Jr., Albert Hall and Delroy Lindo get shout outs as well. Even if some of the details covered here do come up in the commentary it’s worth watching since Lee does expand on a few topics while the passing of 30 years allows the two to reflect on what the film (and the man it depicts) mean now.

Following that, Criterion throws in two more new interviews, a 19-minute one featuring composer Terence Blanchard and 17-minute one featuring actor Delroy Lindo . Blanchard’s is kind of amusing because I don’t think I fully realized, even after his recent interviews found on Criterion’s editions for Eve’s Bayou and Love & Basketball , how he really was just tossed into the profession. As he explains it here, Lee just threw him into doing the score for Jungle Fever , despite no experience in the area, and I guess it must have worked out because they’ve done many films together since. Malcolm X ended up being his second score and he talks about how Lee wanted a “big” Hollywood score, complete with an orchestra and a choir, and it sounds as though Blanchard feared he was getting in over his head. But he pulled it off and it’s probably because (as he explains here) he made sure it was appropriate to the man and his metamorphosis as a person as depicted in the film. It’s a great discussion with a few funny little asides, like where he recalls his reaction upon hearing Lee describe the premise for Bamboozled to him.

Lindo’s interview is also a terrific new addition, the actor talking about his character West Indian Archie. He was all over the role when it was first offered to him (one of the appeals was playing a character from the Caribbean since Lindo is of Jamaican descent), and he explains what he brought to the role, even improvising the ailment that would strike his character later on in the film. Lindo then talks about his theater background and even recalls how he was initially approached by Lee for a role in Do the Right Thing , which Lindo turned down (he’s thankful Lee didn’t hold it against him). I don’t believe I’ve ever seen an interview with Lindo before so I was especially thrilled with this feature, but if I had one little disappointment it’s that he doesn’t get more into his career as a whole, but maybe, if Criterion decides to visit Lee’s Netflix film Da 5 Bloods , Lindo will pop up on there as well.

The rest of the on-disc material is ported over from Warner Bros.’ previous DVD and Blu-ray editions. From that edition is an audio commentary featuring director, Lee, director of photography Ernest R. Dickerson, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, and editor Barry Alexander Brown. All four have been recorded separately and then edited together, comments appearing at appropriate moments throughout the film. Lee focuses much of his attention on the production, recalling its history and then issues that popped up during shooting, like how the bond company assigned to the film almost shut down the production when the film ran out of money (I of course pictured the “Bond Company Stooge” played by Bud Cort in The Life Aquatic every time this topic came up). Brown of course covers the film’s editing, explaining many of his decisions like why he showed Malcolm’s hugs twice from different perspectives throughout the film. He even talks about editing in footage from Oliver Stone’s JFK (with Stone’s permission) when depicting John F. Kennedy’s assassination, mentioning how he studied the editing of that film and how it possibly influenced him here. But, rather surprisingly, it ends up being the comments from Dickerson and Carter that I found to be most rewarding.

Carter made me far more aware than I usually am around how difficult it can be to create costumes for what are essentially period films, and this one proved most difficult because a.) the film takes place across many very distinct points in history, all with their own unique styles, and b.) she could only reference black-and-white photos when it came to deciding on colours. Dickerson also points out how he came up with unique looks for each section of the film to offer a clear divide between each period in Malcolm X’s life. He best describes it as coming to the project like he was making four different films. He also brings up his own cinematic inspirations behind the film and it’s look, with The Godfather being a rather big one, and this became far more obvious after going through the film again. It’s a wonderful track, one of the better studio-produced ones I can recall going through, with very little fat despite the film’s 201-minute runtime. Whoever edited this together did a spectacular job because it manages to fly by quickly and features next-to-no dead space.

Also ported over is the 30-minute making-of documentary, By Any Means Necessary: The Making of “Malcolm X.” Narrated by James Earl Jones, it offers an overview of the film’s production, from Jewison’s initial involvement to its eventual release, providing interviews from Lee, Dickerson, Blanchard, Brown, Carter, Denzel Washington and others, Martin Scorsese, Ossie Davis and Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz also making appearances. If you’ve seen any studio produced making-of from the period you more-or-less know what to expect from it, but this one is better-than-average as it gets a little more into Warner Bros.’ hesitation around the project and how Lee was able to get the money he needed to finish the film, only touched on to a certain extent in the commentary. There’s also a little more around the editing process, with the film’s initial cut being around 4-hours long. It’s worth watching but there’s nothing that ends up being too surprising here, other than the documentary ends up using John Williams’ JFK score for whatever reason.

The disc also features nine deleted scenes , all with an introduction by Lee and running 21-minutes in total with those intros. Lee talks about the scenes and explains in a few cases why the scenes were ultimately cut, though I think it really comes down to the scenes not adding much and the film was running too long. There are a few rather good scenes, like one where the Malcolm Little’s and Shorty’s girlfriends are casing a house, one where Benjamin (Jean LaMarre) is “disciplined” and another where Malcolm and his wife Betty (Angela Bassett) are just simply enjoying an ice cream, but even if they’re worth watching on their own I can’t say they’re missed all that much.

There is one scene that proved very interesting, though, and it is one that plays off of another scene midway through the film. At one point, while on a school campus, Malcolm is approached by a young White woman who asks how she could help, and he ends up dismissing her. Lee explains that this incident was one that Malcolm would come to enormously regret, so Lee took the opportunity to create another scene where yet another woman asks him what she can do to help and this time he tells her exactly what can be done, welcoming her. Malcolm X’s beliefs changed drastically by this point in his life and Lee wanted to show this arc in the film, so having a scene that linked directly to that earlier one was a wonderful way to hit this point home, even if it’s not based on fact. Yet there’s something about the scene that just doesn’t work and I’m at a loss as to what it is, whether it’s how it’s staged or something to do with the performances, but I have to assume Lee also wasn’t feeling it (and can most certainly explain what the issue is) and that’s why it was ultimately cut.

The disc closes with the film’s trailer and one of the release’s bigger additions, Arnold Perl’s 1972 Oscar nominated documentary, Malcolm X , which was also produced by Marvin Worth. The 91-minute impressionistic documentary is a portrait of the man told through archival material that includes interviews, news broadcasts and footage from his public appearances. James Earl Jones will then occasionally provide voiceover, usually reading from Malcolm X’s writings. As Lee would do with his film Perl’s explores Malcolm’s life and how his views evolved through the years while also offering hints of the incidents (through what public material is available) that would eventually lead to his murder. The film also explores the aftermath of his death and even ends with Ossie Davis’ eulogy, as Lee’s film would.

It’s an effective and wonderfully edited documentary, great to have available again (Warner included it on their DVD and limited-edition Blu-ray, not their standard Blu-ray), but it was also fantastic to get a large collection of actual footage from Malcolm X’s speeches, seeing how Lee incorporated the man’s words into his film, even blending them in a few cases. It was also interesting to see how Lee changed the settings of some of his speeches to make them more cinematic. Very happy Criterion saw it worthwhile carrying the film over. (As a note, the presentation appears to be a standard-definition upscale.)

The release then comes with a 44-page booklet, featuring an excellent essay on the film and its legacy written by Cooper. It also features excerpts from the 1992 book By Any Means Necessary: The Trial and Tribulations of the Making of “Malcolm X,” the first featuring Lee detailing aspects of the film’s production and mentioning how the film has been, in some way, always there in the back of his mind. The other excerpt, making up a little for the release’s lack of an interview with Denzel Washington, features the actor recounting his work on the film and calling it “the role of lifetime.” Then a in a nice touch the booklet concludes with a reprint Ossie Davis’ eulogy, given at Malcolm X’s funeral. It’s one of Criterion’s better booklets of late.

There’s some material I would have liked to see, including more academic contributions. It may have also been interesting to learn more about Jewison’s early participation in the film. Still, as it is through this release’s new and archival materials Criterion has thrown together a rather comprehensive edition and all of the material is well worth digging into.

Criterion’s new Blu-ray edition provides a sharper, more film-like presentation compared to Warner’s previous Blu-ray release.

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The Best Malcolm X Movies, Ranked

From documentaries to biopics, we're ranking the best movies about Malcolm X. The human rights activist has been depicted numerous times in film and TV, but this list only features movies where Malcolm X is the central character. What is the best Malcolm X movie?

In one of his greatest roles, Denzel Washington portrayed the African-American advocate in the Oscar nominated movie  Malcolm X . Other good Malcolm X documentaries and biographical films include Death of a Prophet , Malcolm's Echo , and The Hate That Hate Produced .

Vote up the best movies about Malcolm X, and feel free to add your favorites if they're missing from the list. 

Malcolm X ,  directed by Spike Lee and released in 1992, is a gripping biographical drama that delves deep into the life and transformation of the eponymous civil rights activist. Denzel Washington delivers a powerful performance as Malcolm X, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film explores the influential figure's early life, his time in prison, conversion to Islam, and eventual rise as a prominent leader within the Nation of Islam. With its compelling narrative and intricate portrayal of racial tensions in America during the mid-twentieth century, Malcolm X  has become a defining piece of cinema that continues to resonate with audiences today.

• # 148 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 198 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
• # 258 of 278 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali  is an insightful documentary that looks into the complex relationship between two legendary figures – Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Directed by Marcus A. Clarke and released in 2021, this captivating film showcases unseen archival footage alongside interviews from close friends and family members to explore how their bond was forged through shared values but ultimately strained due to political tensions within Nation of Islam. It sheds light on their personal lives while examining broader issues such as race relations, religion, and activism during a tumultuous time in American history.

Death of a Prophet

Death of a Prophet , released in 1981 and directed by Woodie King Jr., focuses on the final twenty-four hours in the life of Malcolm X. Morgan Freeman gives an intense performance as the titular character, navigating the tragic events that led to his assassination. This made-for-television movie offers an emotional depiction of one man's unwavering dedication to justice and equality, despite knowing that he was facing certain death.

An Eye on X

An Eye On X,  released in 1995, is a fascinating short film produced and directed by Pogus Caesar that documents the extraordinary work of Birmingham-based micro-sculptor Willard Wigan. The film chronicles Wigan's ambitious endeavor to create two distinct statues in honor of Malcolm X's visit to Smethwick, Birmingham, in 1965 – one being a minuscule 3mm figure perched atop a toothpick and the other, a life-sized rendition carved from chestnut. This captivating short film not only showcases Wigan's incredible talent but also pays tribute to Malcolm X's lasting impact on civil rights activism across the globe. By highlighting the painstaking process involved in crafting these intricate sculptures, An Eye On X (Daybreak)  serves as an inspiring testament to both the enduring legacy of Malcolm X and the remarkable artistic skill of Willard Wigan.

One Night in Miami

One Night in Miami , directed by Regina King in her feature debut, is a fictional account of an incredible night where four icons – Malcolm X (played by Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) – come together to discuss their roles in the civil rights movement. Based on Kemp Powers' award-winning play of the same name, this riveting drama takes place primarily in one location but manages to capture the essence of each character's struggle for justice and equality. The film received critical acclaim upon its release in 2020, with particular praise for its performances and Regina King's direction.

• # 40 of 89 on The Greatest African American Biopics
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Malcolm X: Make It Plain

Malcolm X: Make It Plain , directed by Orlando Bagwell and released in 1994, is an exhaustive documentary examining the entirety of Malcolm X's life – from his humble beginnings to his rise as a prominent leader within Nation of Islam and eventually becoming a key figure in the civil rights movement. Featuring interviews with family members, close friends, and former associates, this documentary provides thorough insight into who Malcolm X truly was beyond mere soundbites.

Malcolm X , released in 1972 and directed by Arnold Perl, is a documentary that offers a comprehensive look at the life and work of the influential civil rights leader. Utilizing archival footage, interviews, and rare photographs, this film paints a vivid picture of Malcolm X's journey from his humble beginnings to his rise as an outspoken advocate for justice and equality. It also delves into his relationships with other prominent figures of the time, such as Martin Luther King Jr., providing valuable context for understanding the complexities of the civil rights movement. Malcolm X  remains a crucial resource for those seeking to learn more about this iconic figure.

Malcolm's Echo

Malcolm's Echo , released in 2008, is a thought-provoking documentary directed by Dami Akinnusi that examines how Malcolm X's legacy continues to influence contemporary social movements long after his assassination. The film features interviews with activists, scholars, and artists who reflect upon how their work has been inspired by his teachings. Malcolm's Echo  highlights how enduringly relevant Malcolm X remains today.

Seven Songs for Malcolm X

John Akomfrah's experimental documentary Seven Songs for Malcolm X , released in 1993, presents various interpretations of the civil rights leader's life and legacy through a series of seven vignettes, each representing a different aspect of his identity. By combining archival footage, interviews, and dramatic reenactments, this unique film explores the nuances and complexities of Malcolm X's character in a way that traditional documentaries often overlook.

The Hate That Hate Produced

The Hate That Hate Produced , directed by Mike Wallace and Louis Lomax in 1959, is a groundbreaking television documentary that first introduced many Americans to the Nation of Islam and its key figures, including Malcolm X. This provocative program delves into the ideology of the organization and examines how it has gained popularity among marginalized African-American communities. As one of the earliest glimpses into Malcolm X's life on screen, The Hate That Hate Produced  remains an essential watch for those interested in understanding the early years of his activism.

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Malcolm X Review

01 Jan 1992

202 minutes

The movie that was supposed to cause such controversy in Middle America (even, if you will, to set cities a-burning) failed to do any such thing because director Spike Lee chose to tell the story of "the angriest black man in America" with such surprising restraint.

In fact, at times the film seems in danger of collapsing into the tedium of History Lecture For Beginners. That it never quite does is testament to the immensely powerful performance of Denzei Washington. The film comes in two lengthy acts. Act One is the story of Malcolm Little, jaunty wide-boy from Boston who wears flash clothes and takes white women and gallivants in dance halls and does drugs and ends up in chokey. This section, directed with flash and panache, a jazz-styled, colourful "romp" is, for want of a better term, the Entertainment.

Act Two, however, is the story of Malcolm X, the convert to the Nation of Islam who delivers harsh words to the white folk of America, a much more radical version of that nice Reverend King. This section, altogether more sombre as X casts away the gaudy togs and goes for grey hat and spectacles and dignified rage, is the Lesson.

Occasionally veering towards Made-For-TV- Biopic territory - especially in the scenes of Malcolm's visit to Egypt (don't the camels and the Pyramids look nice?) and pilgrimage to Mecca - one is kept upon one's toes by some fire of oration and the growing tension between Elijah Muhammed, leader of the Nation of Islam (Freeman Jnr., splendidly spooky), and his driven protege.

And while you know all along that Malcolm X is going to get shot to death, when it comes, it's still a shock. A pity, then, that Lee chooses to hammer home the Lesson by opening with footage of Rodney King's beating and closing with Nelson Mandela (who cannot act, alas) as a Soweto schoolmaster. Racism is a Bad Thing. Yes, I think we got that.

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Despite Its Faults, the Met’s ‘X’ Is Worth the Ticket

This stirring production is frequently unbalanced but nonetheless reminds us how much work there is yet to be done..

More than thirty-six years after its world premiere at New York City Opera, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X finally made the short trip across Lincoln Center Plaza not long ago to the Metropolitan Opera in a dazzling, dizzying Afrofuturist production directed by Robert O’Hara. Though Will Liverman ’s calmly earnest portrayal emerged as too small-scaled for the work’s electrifying subject, the Met’s enthusiastic embrace of X will do much to further its 21st-century renaissance.

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Recently revised by composer Anthony Davis , the three-act opera to a libretto by his cousin Thulani Davis based on a story by his brother Christopher Davis takes us through more than thirty years of Malcolm’s life, from his father’s death when the boy was just six years old to his 1965 assassination in Upper Manhattan. We follow the traumatic separation from his grieving mother to his committing crimes that inevitably result in incarceration.

While he’s in prison Malcolm’s brother introduces him to the teachings of the Nation of Islam whose leader Elijah Muhammad embraces the young convert, guiding him to a powerful ministry. His rise is hobbled by a backlash over indelicate remarks following the assassination of John F. Kennedy , and his murder follows a break from Elijah and the Nation of Islam.

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Rather than focusing on interactive encounters, many of X’ s scenes are static tableaux during which characters reflect on life-changing events directly to the audience. In the opening scene, Malcolm’s mother Louise frets anxiously about her dire situation, then Ella, his half-sister, follows with another extended monologue as she takes the boy to live with her in Boston where he meets Street, who steers him toward criminal pursuits.

O’Hara attempts to compensate for the lack of dramatic action by introducing dancers executing Rickey Tripp ’s frenetic choreography, while Yee Eun Nam ’s kaleidoscopic projections glide by on Clint Ramos’s enormous flying saucer hovering over the action.

Liverman’s Malcolm began promisingly with a powerful aria about his cursed situation.

As the evening progressed, Malcolm’s evolution found the baritone turning increasingly inward, his words became less clear and the dynamism seen in clips of the real Malcolm was lacking. In addition, when Malcolm’s preaching should be electrifying, the chorus diluted it by repeatedly thrusting placards into the air.

Liverman excelled when Davis’s writing took him into his high register, but unfortunately, much of Malcolm’s music sent him uncomfortably low. His recessive stance often allowed others to dominate. Michael Sumuel displayed a biting, house-filling bass-baritone as Malcolm’s brother Ronald, while Victor Ryan Robertson ’s eerily high tenor stole the show twice in his tour-de-force doubling of Street and Elijah.

Leah Hawkins brought her big, lush soprano to the role of Malcolm’s mother, as well as that of wife Betty, whose mighty importance to him is scarcely seen in the opera. Their all-too-brief husband/wife duet ending the second act felt oddly truncated as did the moment she sends Malcolm off on his revelatory trip to Mecca.

Raehann Bryce-Davis used her warm and wide-ranging mezzo to bring Ella and Queen Mother to all-too-brief life.

While both women were grandly audible, too frequently conductor Kazem Abdullah allowed his sizzling orchestra to cover the other singers. Though Davis’s writing for solo and choral voices can become blandly incantatory, his orchestra always teems with vibrancy thanks to the bravura playing of Episteme, an eight-piece jazz ensemble including saxophones, piano, bass and drums, that was embedded into the Met orchestra. Balance issues may resolve themselves as the run through December 2 continues.

Because it is preoccupied with the many stages in his long transformation from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X and finally into el-Hajj Malik e-Shabazz, the opera pays scant attention to the period of his greatest influence—and controversy. Perhaps its creator’s intention is to send audiences to Malcolm’s seminal Autobiography, an enormously influential, posthumously published collaboration with Alex Haley .

X coincidentally arrived the same day that Rustin, George C. Wolfe ’s fine new biopic about Bayard Rustin , gay African-American architect of the 1963 March on Washington, opened in theaters. The news media will surely be filled with remembrances of the 60th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination on November 22nd, but during X at the Met and a preview screening of Rustin I was grateful to again be reminded of others brutally murdered during the roiling mid-1960s: besides Malcolm and John Kennedy, assassins also struck down Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr. (both men are portrayed in Rustin) and Robert Kennedy.

Both X and Rustin will soon reach wider audiences. In addition to being beamed to theaters worldwide in HD on November 18, O’Hara’s potent production of X will next travel to Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Seattle Opera, and the day before that, Rustin premieres on Netflix. These strong artworks demand that audiences reflect on the past’s bloody sacrifices and encourage the acknowledgment that much more remains to be done.

• SEE ALSO : Will Keen On Playing Vladimir Putin On Broadway in ‘Patriots’

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Malcolm X 4k Blu-ray Review

Malcolm X (1992) has been restored for release in 4k to celebrate 30 years since its debut in theaters. The Criterion Collection has packaged the new presentation on 4k Blu-ray along with the newly remastered film on 1080p Blu-ray and a second Blu-ray containing extras. The 3-disc edition released on November 22nd, 2022. A new 2-disc 1080p Blu-ray edition was released simultaneously with the 4k Blu-ray. 

“I aims to please sir, I’m pleased to aim.” 

A Spike Lee Joint and what some consider to be his finest accomplishment, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X incorporates history and storytelling in his unique signature style. Denzel Washington was Oscar-nominated for Best Actor and Ruth E. Carter for Best Costume Design at the 65th Academy Awards. Washington did win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his performance. In 2010, Malcolm X was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

On 4k Blu-ray, Malcolm X is presented in 2160p resolution with Dolby Vision and HDR10 High Dynamic Range specs. The new 4k digital restoration was supervised by Lee’s long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson.

Malcolm X was filmed on Arriflex cameras in 35mm at 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The 4k disc is in the original aspect ratio, whereas the previous Blu-ray was in 1.78:1. The 1.85:1 ratio fills up most a typical 16×9 4k or HD TV with only a slice of “letterboxing” on the top and bottom. The video played at an average of about 50Mbps with higher runs up to 63Mbps. We saw the video hit 90Mbps during a couple of quick instances, but was generally in the 50s for most of the TRT. 

The restoration of Malcolm X has maintained a vintage film quality, meaning there is no excessive brightening, sharpening, or other digital manufacturing to create a more contemporary cinematic image. It’s true to its nature, albeit soft when compared to other film movies from the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately, we can’t say the image is as sharp some of its contemporaries that have been upgraded. 

Some of the sharpest imagery can be seen at 53 minutes when Red is playing Russian roulette with his new partner Rudy, and shortly after at the robbery of an elderly man while he is sleeping his wedding band glistens like never before. 

Dolby Vision has given Malcolm X the capability of up to 10 bits of color under the BT.2020 spec. When Red and Shorty are dressed in their red and green zoot suits at 18 minutes we really get a taste of what HDR can do for color depth. Another scene that shows off color is at 22 minutes when Red is laying with his girlfriend as Laura (Theresa Randle) during the golden hour. His blue suit is as colorful as a Crayola. 

“He’s puttin’ a hurt on my vision.” 

Even more extreme color is at 30 minutes when Red is dressed in his red suit with matching hat and accidentally bumps into someone at a club. The color is so extreme it’s almost as if he’s glowing, a stark difference from the rest of the patrons who are dressed in more drab colors. But that was obviously the point of the lighting strategy, and Lee was certainly not interested in toning it down for this restoration. 

The soundtrack to Malcolm X plays in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 channels, the same format as the previous 1080p Blu-ray release from 2017. Subtitles are offered in English SDH for the feature film (not the extras). The 48kHz audio streamed at an average of 4.2 to 4.6Mbps, with a decent range of lows to brights. 

The DTS-HD track is not a surround sound reference disc by any means, but there is good balance in the dialogue, ambient sound, and music. There is an occasional pop in the audio presentation when louder sound effects such as gunfire are introduced. There is some ambient, immersive sound when Malcolm X is speaking in large crowds. 

2-time Oscar-nominated musician/composer Terence Blanchard created the music for the film, which is interwoven elegantly into the 202-minute film, in which the trumpet (his main instrument) becomes another integral character.

Packaging and Extras

Criterion’s packaging of Malcolm X on 4k Blu-ray is reason enough to buy the edition. A handsome 3-disc presentation in clear plastic trays with black and red color palette gives it a distinctive look. An included 44-page photo book talks about the legacy of Malcolm X (the person) and the making of the biopic. A second Blu-ray disc contains bonus material such as new conversations and interviews, a feature-length documentary, a program about the making of the film, and deleted scenes.

Malcolm X is a transcending film that was well deserving of a 4k upgrade, even if soft at times and not as detailed as one might hope in the shadow areas. The Dolby Vision HDR is probably the jewel of this presentation, displaying rich color as if saturated gelatin emulsion film. The package itself is a welcome addition to any collection, and for those who follow Spike Lee and the art of filmmaking, the included booklet is a real bonus. We’re looking forward to more Spike Lee films getting restored and upgraded to the best of today’s home media standards. 

Audio 3.5/5

Bonus Material 5/5

Special Features

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised by cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and two Blu-rays with the film and special features
• Audio commentary from 2005 featuring director Spike Lee, Dickerson, editor Barry Alexander Brown, and costume designer Ruth E. Carter
• New conversation between Lee and journalist and screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper
• New interviews with actor Delroy Lindo and composer Terence Blanchard
• Program about the making of the film, featuring Lee, Dickerson, Brown, Blanchard, Carter, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, actor Ossie Davis, Reverend Al Sharpton, former Warner Bros. executive Lucy Fisher, producers Preston Holmes and Jon Kilik, production designer Wynn Thomas, casting director Robi Reed, and Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz
• Malcolm X (1972), a feature-length documentary produced by Marvin Worth and Arnold Perl and directed by Perl, narrated by actor James Earl Jones
• Deleted scenes with introductions by Lee
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by Cooper, excerpts from Lee’s 1992 book By Any Means Necessary: The Trials and Tribulations of the Making of “Malcolm X” . . ., and Davis’s eulogy for Malcolm X
• New cover by Eric Skillman