BlacKkKlansman: Power of Film

 Cormac Clune

Watching the Ending of BlacKkKlansman I initially felt that the ending montage was unnecessary and an example of the film hitting the audience over the head with its message. However, as I thought about it more I feel that this sequence is effective in the film's context and helps to convey the movie's thoughts on racism in America. The film challenges the idea of approaching the civil-rights movement as solely a historical interest. For most of us, we learn about the concept of racism in American through History class. The idea that all of this stuff is in the past can falsely convey that the process of racism in America is over and that we’ve moved past these issues.  The movie approaches this idea by presenting us with a sort of false ending. Another film would be content with Stallworth telling Duke his true identity as the end of the film. But BlacKkKlansman keeps going and ends on a depressing note, as Stallworth and Patrice are confronted by the Klan. Then the film showcases real-life footage from the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, including Heather Heyer’s death.  It’s this turn from the traditional happy movie ending, to a snap back into reality, that showcases how the film feels about racism being “over”. BlacKkKlansman rightly shows that racism isn’t over, it’s not “behind us”, it’s still a prevalent issue in America.  Spike Lee doesn’t want an upbeat ending to undermine the fact that these issues are still at the forefront of American discourse. Just because we celebrate Stallworth’s accomplishments as a hero of the past, it doesn’t mean that the job is done. The heroes won in this story, but in the end, the KKK is still burning crosses. And now fifty years later, they’re doing even worse shit.