Da Five Bloods was released on Netflix early in the summer of 2020 mere weeks before star Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer. The chatter around the movie obviously changed dramatically upon the actor's death, and while Chadwick's performance should be noted and applauded, there is much more to this film that deserves mention.
FAST FACTS
REPORTED BUDGET: $45 million
BOX OFFICE: N/A
ROTTEN TOMATOES CRITICS / AUDIENCE SCORE: 93% / 53%
CINEMA SCORE: N/A
END CREDIT SCENE: NO
NON-SPOILER REVIEW
The Spike Lee directed film features four African-American veterans of the Vietnam War who return to the Asian nation to honor a fallen friend and find a treasure they buried during the war. The movie features numerous looks at live footage and speeches from the Vietnam War time period, which can be horrifying or inspiring depending what footage happens to be on the screen at the time.
While much of the footage is of real events and real people, the overall plot of the movie is fictional. Although the veterans portrayed were not real people, the actors were still able to convey a sense of brotherhood, struggle, and anguish that soldiers from that time period often feel.
The strength of this film lies with the phenomenal cast: Chadwick Boseman (as Stormin' Norman), Delroy Lindo (as Paul), Clarke Peters (as Otis), Norm Lewis (as Eddie), and Isiah Whitlock Jr. (as Melvin) among others.
OVERALL RECCOMENDATION
Parts of this movie may be off-putting to some due to the violence of the Vietnam War, or because Spike Lee's films always delve into deeper socio-political themes. I found the movie as an intriguing portrait of race, war, and psyche of soldiers that have intimately experienced the horrors of war.
My Rating: B+
I do have some nitpicks here and there, but nothing that would force me to steer people away from this film. If you're interested in war movies, it's worth a watch. If you're interested in individual character development, it's a must watch.
SPOILER REVIEW
Most of my nitpicks come early in the movie as Spike Lee begins with shots from the late 1960s. While the clips and photos are outstanding, they go by so quickly that it is hard to fully grasp or appreciate them. That being said, I loved Lee's choice of switching camera styles as you go from present to past in flashbacks.
As I said above, the plot follows four veterans (Paul, Otis, Melvin, Eddie) returning to Vietnam to honor their fallen squad leader (Stomin' Norman) and recover gold that they buried while fighting in the war. Because I'm watching this movie months after its initial release on Netflix and after Boseman's death, the scene early on of the four men looking at a photo of their departed friend really hits hard emotionally.
As the men begin to explore the modern Vietnam, they learn how far the country has come since the dark days of the war, becoming modern and vibrant in the larger cities. Eventually, they have a contentious meeting with a French businessman (played by Jean Reno) who promises he can help move the buried treasure out of Vietnam if they are able to find it. Once the deal is made, then the men prepare for their journey back into the Vietnamese jungle.
While all the men struggle with being back in a place where so many atrocities occurred, Paul has a particularly tough time. Burdened by post-traumatic-stress-disorder, he has bouts of anger, instability, and outbursts. Unfortunately for the veterans, Paul's issues only continue to worsen throughout their journey.
Despite some truly astronomical odds, they men end up finding their treasure and the remains of their fallen leader. However, this is just the midway point of their story. Getting out of the jungle alive proves more difficult than finding a proverbial needle in a haystack.
One of their members, Eddie, unfortunately steps onto a buried landmine after a confrontation with Paul, making everyone fully aware of the danger that Vietnam still presents in their lives as well as the horrors of such weapons. Once they believe they've exited the jungle, the men run into well-armed treasure hunters who are keen to keep the treasure at home in Vietnam.
After a gun fight that miraculously leaves our remaining three veterans still alive, they're presented with a choice due to their car being disabled. Paul decides to hike to the nearest town (20 miles away), while the others opt for a shorter hike to nearby ruins in order to prepare for the inevitable second wave of hunters.
On his lengthy hike, Paul descends further into madness. Spike Lee takes this opportunity to capture several monologues as the actor looks directly into the camera. Eventually, Paul stumbles, loses his treasure and supplies, gets caught by the treasure hunters, and is brutally murdered. However, just before his capture, he has a vision of Stormin' Norman. He flashes back to when Norman died, and we learn that Paul kills Norman in a spray of friendly fire while under attack. In an extremely emotional moment, the vision of Norman embraces Paul and forgives him for what he describes as "an accident." Boseman's tenderness, warmth, and charming persona adds an angelic side to the chaotic events that have taken place.
The two surviving members of da five bloods bunker themselves in an ancient ruin and plan a last stand against the inevitable onslaught coming their way. After an intense fire fight and an unbelievable act of courage by Melvin (dove on a grenade to save Otis), Otis is the last of the bloods remaining. Finally able to leave the jungle and Vietnam with his treasure, Otis responsibly distributes his new found wealth to the family of his fallen brothers, and other worthy causes (such as an organization to remove landmines in war-torn countries and a Black Lives Matter organization).
Da Five Bloods may indeed garner a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, but I think the real guarantee is Delroy Lindo earning an acting nomination for playing Paul. I know Chadwick Boseman gets a lot of the headlines. Every time he is on screen he is magnetic, drawing your attention in further and further. However, I don't think he is on screen enough, or integral enough in the plot to garner any nominations. Overall, this movie will definitely be represented at many of the big awards ceremonies, and is deserving of the attention it receives.