20 Best Netflix Original Movies
6. Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Spike Lee's latest cinematic achievement is easily one of his best, despite its heavy themes and off-putting runtime.
An unconventional war drama in which a squad of African-American soldiers (including Delroy Lindo, Chadwick Boseman and Clarke Peters) venture into Vietnam to find hidden gold, the film is at once a tale of war and an unsettling adventure.
Lindo serves as the film's true standout, portraying ageing PTSD-suffering war vet Paul with intensity and heart, but really the entire cast is on phenomenal form. Even when Lee occasionally struggles under the film's many tonal shifts, the cast and the sharp-eyed script keep the whole thing grounded with a timely assessment of trauma, racism and camaraderie.
It can be a difficult film to sit through, but between the performances and socially conscious themes, Da 5 Bloods is a daring feat of cinema that begs to be seen.