Spike Lee has had an odd couple of years. Chi-Raq was a nice return to stylish form, but the likes of Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and Oldboy received considerably less critical acclaim. The iconic director is in a period of his career where it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect at any given time, but perhaps that’s a good thing. If the trailer for BlacKkKlansman is to be believed, it could be a very good thing, because this film immediately looks like one of 2018’s most eye-catching and purely entertaining.
Perhaps Jordan Peele is partially to thank for that, as the director of Get Out is co-producing with Lee and Jason Blum, and whatever Peele touches these days tends to become must-see. But for whatever reason, BlacKkKlansman immediately looks to crackle with sharp satirical energy. The film premiered this week at Cannes, and is in contention for the Palme d’Or, with early reviews that are sparkling. Before you do anything else, check out the trailer below.