“Red, White and Blue” Film Review

By: Keaton Marcus

Heading into the finale of 2020, director Steve McQueen now has not one, not two, but three highly-placed movies on my yearly ranking. I truly cannot say that for any other filmmaker. How did he pull off such a feat, you may ask? It’s because this man is one of the most talented directors working today. With his latest installment to the Small Axe series, dubbed Red, White and Blue, John Boyega finally gets the spotlight he’s deserved since the start of his career. Although the film is the weakest out of the three released, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a timely, thought-provoking time that asks such important questions. Despite it being my least favorite, it was by far the most entertaining…I was captivated from start to finish, and was surprised at how good the narrative was. Of course I will write more about the plot later, but it captures some seriously interesting stuff, and I respect that. Maybe it is a slight step-down from Mangrove and Lovers Rock, but those are darn close to masterpieces in their own rights. So what’s so bad about being slightly lower than two of the best films of the year (besides I’m Thinking of Ending Things).

Again, one of the many things I admire about this series is how unique and different each episode is. Each story is new and refreshing, and it never feels old. Red, White and Blue is about Leroy Logan (Boyega), a man who witnessed his father, Ken Logan (Steve Toussaint) being unnecessarily assaulted by the police as a little kid. Now grown-up, he works in forensics, but remembering the incident, he is motivated to join the Metropolitan Police and change their racist attitudes from within. Because of this, his friends, and even his own father, now refer to him as a “traitor” due to the foul treatment they have received from the force for so long. Ken is forced to grapple with the morality of his decision, and the two become alienated despite his eventual reluctant acceptance of his son’s choice. His colleagues aren’t necessarily backing him up, either, and they sling racist slurs at him. His only companion is a fellow Pakistani co-worker (Assad Zaman), who also goes through the same challenges as well, being ridiculed in and out of the institution. Leroy’s journey is beautifully written by McQueen, and he definitely goes through my personal favorite narrative out of the three films released.

Despite the expectedly fantastic direction and screenwriting, the central performances from the film’s talented cast are what really bring this to life. John Boyega, who had his breakout role as Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is put in the limelight and it paid off. In the other two Small Axe movies, there was an ensemble cast in each one. Heck, the second one was literally people dancing for more than an hour. Red, White and Blue finally sets the entire movie on one man’s shoulders, and that man is Mr. Boyega. It was gripping to see his character go through such hardship as a Black man joining the police force in such racist times, and this is a career-defining performance undoubtedly. Steven Toussaint also shines in the role of Ken Logan, and he also goes through an engrossing character arc. He’s the father of a “traitor” in the eyes of the Black community, and although the powerhouse role is easily given to Boyega, there is more than enough wiggle room for the actor.

There are really two ways to how this film stood out for me. One: Leroy Logan’s narrative. Two: How Steve McQueen effortlessly creates fresh stories in all three of his released movies. Getting into the first aspect, the irony of Leroy’s journey stuck out as excellent development. It is the tale of a man who has already seen his father treated unfairly by the people he will join. It’s almost insane if one really gives some thought to it, but it is so compelling to this man attempting to relinquish all the hate in a group that hasn’t been too kind to him, or his family. Secondly, I found it stunning how McQueen spotlights a new story every time. In Mangrove, it was a court room drama, with Lovers Rock, it was an anti-narrative feature chronicling one house party electrified by its performers and cinematography. Red, White and Blue is completely different to both! I love when a filmmaker refrains from repetition and tells something wildly contrasting to its predecessor. In terms of issues, the ending did feel abrupt and inconclusive, which could work as a clever stylistic feature for a certain audience, but it just didn’t cut it for me. Although I adore endings that don’t give you all the answers, and prefer them over conclusions that straight up wrap everything in a tight little bow, there wasn’t enough true build-up to the last scene. Otherwise, this is a more restrained, meditative piece, unlike the experimental approach that Lovers Rock took. It strays from striking color palettes and sticks to the tighter aspect ratios coupled with a focused narrative.

The final opinion is: Red, White and Blue marks the third installment in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series with refreshing, meditative storytelling combined with the emotional brilliance of John Boyega and a focused, sharp narrative…$PLURGE IT

Rated: R (for language and mild violence)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 1 hour 20 minutes

Directed By: Steve McQueen