The classic movie that disappointed Denzel Washington: “He had a right to make it”
When working with a great like Denzel Washington, you can expect a towering performance that will knock everything else out of the park.
After starring in modern classics like Philadelphia, Training Day and Gladiator II, the actor is considered a staple within the Hollywood elite, establishing himself as a limitless talent who continues to craft deep characters who stay with you forever. But over the years, he has also been met with his fair share of challenges and controversies after working with the notorious arthouse director Spike Lee, with the pair making history through their colossal 1992 film Malcom X.
Malcolm X was one of the most influential and compelling figures of all time, with a captivating presence that resonated with people all over the world, despite being controversial to those who didn’t understand his mission. After his tragic and mysterious death, his story became cemented in history, with a legacy that carries on and only seems more relevant today.
But while it is a layered and crucial slice of history, it is one that many didn’t want to see adapted for the big screen, with Spike Lee’s decision to tackle the story sparking outrage and protest. However, this outrage was extremely misguided and ultimately useless, because Lee is not the kind of director to back down and hide away from taking risks, creating an epic masterpiece that showcases the full power of Washington’s acting prowess.
However, while the film is a staggering feat of filmmaking, with mesmerising sequences of Malcolm X’s speeches being performed by Washington, Lee was criticised for plugging his own political agenda into the film and supposedly ‘preaching’ at audiences. When asked about his thoughts on this, Washington said, “I would agree that there was a great two-and-a-half-hour movie in there. Listen, Spike was a young filmmaker who had done a lot of great work. The movie’s director is the pilot. It’s his vision. For an actor, the time to worry about flying is when you’re on the ground. If you don’t want to fly with the director, don’t get on the plane”.
Washington definitely knew what he was getting into from the moment the script was passed into his hands, as any story associated with real-life controversy is going to be met with intense speculation as it transcends the history books and onto the silver screen. The actor expanded on this, saying, “There’s no point in getting up there moaning and complaining, ‘Oh, we should do this, we shouldn’t do that.’ Spike had something to say. The version that came out was his vision and he had a right to make it the way he wanted. Would I have done the same thing? No”.
While Washington admits that he might not have approached the story in the same way, there is no denying that Lee had something to say and his distinct voice shone through, creating one of the greatest biopics of all time and doing so through his own irreplaceable cinematic perspective.
