MLK/FBI

Instructive as a timeline of events, supported by actual documentation instead of conjecture. The footage is woven into the commentary to find King as a clearer human - and it's here the commentary struggles, which the film appears to acknowledge. Are we as a reflective culture, saturated now more than ever with assaults to privacy and all our moments, good and bad, saved for posterity, capable of balancing legacy with the holistic nature of being human? We're doing a great job so far.

Invaluable as both concise and thorough historical record, and the restoration work on some of the King footage is stunning; the film works best when focusing on the venal machinations of Hoover vs King’s indomitability (and it never trips over the temptation to lionise King too much), however a few of the underdeveloped detours (especially the FBI’s representation in Hollywood) feel like superficial cheap shots, undermining the overall impact. An interesting and worthwhile effort.

Really well done