"Mangrove" Begins Steve McQueen’s film collection with an emotionally powerful take on UK racism
“Mangrove” Film Review
83/100 “sweet”
By Quinn Marcus
You wanna know something? I’m a sucker for courtroom dramas. From The Verdict to The Trial of the Chicago 7. Hell, I’d watch a court film in the middle of a hurricane (metaphorically, not literally…if that makes sense). I love to watch people get angry at each other, and argue about global issues, in fact, I almost thrive on it. Some films do this so well, that they make me want to get up and change something. For example, Just Mercy wasn’t perfect, but it sure made me mad. That’s the goal of a courtroom drama, to make you infuriated, and most of the time it works. Mangrove is no exception, I thought that this film was fantastic. I haven’t seen a film in this genre that was absolutely amazing, and while Mangrove didn’t exactly break that wall, it took racial injustice by the horns in the best way possible. Mangrove tells the remarkable true story of “The Mangrove Nine,” who went to court with the London Police in 1970. This became the first judicial admission of behavior prompted by racial hatred within the Metropolitan Police.
Mangrove is also the first of Steve McQueen’s collection of five films dubbed “Small Axe,” and holy sh-t does Steve McQueen direct and write this well. In fact, one of the most impressive parts of the film was the writing, it was dramatic, emotionally powerful, and fitting of a miraculous cast. The directing was absolutely perfect, we see these long pauses, moments where McQueen lets you breath, and they were able to flow really well into the film. There was a surprising amount of beautiful cinematography as well, something that The Trial of the Chicago 7 lacked. It definitely packed a visual punch, something that’s really hard to do with this genre. The tone of the film shifts a lot, and while a tad muddled, it actually works. We are introduced to a lively, energetic, culture-rich setting that is interrupted constantly by the merciless, racist police force. However, what the film does so well, like many other courtroom dramas, are the court scenes. There is an undeniable sense of conviction, and an anger amongst the defendants that we, the audience feel as well. The second half of the movie is where Mangrove truly shines, and while the first half was good as well, it sometimes felt as though it was searching for reasons to keep our attention for the first hour. It was like dancing scene, eating scene, police attack on repeat until the first half was over. That was probably my biggest issue with this movie, it had a sense of repetition. In this horrific point in our lives, it may feel good for you to see a film about justice being served; and while a bit flawed, Mangrove will provide the timely, relevant experience you have been looking for.
Mangrove’s incredible cast was probably the best part about the whole film. Firstly, I want to talk about Letitia Wright (Black Panther), playing the role of Altheia Jones, most known for her role as a leader of the Black Panther movement of the 60s and 70s. Wright was so good in this film, that I will become physically sick if she doesn’t win an award. There’s this one scene (don’t worry, no spoilers) where her character is talking to Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes), and they’re arguing about the case, and she slowly starts to tear up to the moment of a big reveal. This scene was so heart-wrenching to watch, and exhibited both actors talents perfectly. I couldn’t believe how great Wright was in this, she was already awesome in Black Panther, but to see her take on such a heavy role was astounding to watch. The other standout I want to discuss is Shaun Parkes (The Mummy Returns), playing Frank Crichlow, a community activist and civil rights campaigner. He provided such an emotionally raw performance, every shot he was in made you feel something, whether it was joy or sadness, Parkes set the mood of the movie. To tell the truth, I hadn’t seen this guy in anything before this, but damn he, and his chemistry with the cast was excellent.
The final verdict is…While Mangrove occasionally suffers from its repetitious first half, it also greatly benefits from a worthy cast, flawless directing, and motivational writing…$PLURGE IT!