“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a 2021 gripping, historically grounded political drama that recounts the rise and assassination of Fred Hampton, the charismatic chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and the events that led to his death. Directed by Shaka King and written by King along with Will Berson, the film is told through the dual lenses of activism and espionage, focusing on the moral complexities faced by its two central characters: Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and William “Bill” O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield).
Set in late 1960s Chicago, the film opens with Bill O’Neal, a young Black man arrested by the FBI for car theft and impersonating a federal agent. Given the choice between prison and cooperation, he agrees to infiltrate the Black Panther Party as an informant for the FBI in exchange for leniency. O’Neal is assigned to Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons), who frames the Panthers, notably Fred Hampton, as a dangerous, radical threat to American society.
As O’Neal gains Hampton’s trust and rises within the party ranks, he becomes torn between his loyalty to the FBI and the admiration he begins to feel for Hampton’s passion and purpose. Hampton, a gifted speaker and strategist, is depicted not as a militant caricature but as a unifying force. He forges alliances with other marginalized groups—including poor whites and Latinos—under the “Rainbow Coalition,” emphasizing community programs, complimentary breakfast for children, and education.
Meanwhile, the FBI, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), becomes increasingly alarmed by Hampton’s growing influence. Hoover views him as a potential “Black Messiah” who could unite oppressed people across racial lines and incite revolution. He demands action to neutralize Hampton “by any means necessary,” pushing Mitchell and the bureau to manipulate O’Neal into helping orchestrate a takedown.
The psychological strain on O’Neal deepens as he witnesses the compassion, vision, and vulnerability behind Hampton’s leadership, including Hampton’s relationship with his pregnant partner, Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Nevertheless, the FBI’s pressure mounts, culminating in a devastating climax.
On December 4, 1969, O’Neal, acting on FBI orders, provided a floor plan of Hampton’s apartment. In a pre-dawn raid, Chicago police storm the residence and assassinate Fred Hampton while he sleeps, shooting him multiple times beside his pregnant partner. The scene is brutal and emotionally harrowing, underscoring the cold calculation of state-sponsored violence.
The film closes with archival footage and voiceover from the real William O’Neal, who gave a rare interview in the 1989 documentary Eyes on the Prize II, expressing confusion and unease about his role. A postscript reveals that he later died by suicide.
“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a politically charged, emotionally intense drama about loyalty, exploitation, and the systemic repression of Black leadership in America. It draws biblical parallels (the “Judas” betraying the “Messiah”) and explores how institutions of power weaponize fear, surveillance, and coercion to maintain control.
The Other Cinema 