Every Spike Lee Movie Ranked Worst To Best
2. Malcolm X (1992)
No one else could have made a film about Malcolm X - at least not with the level of energy, passion, anger, respect and understanding that Spike Lee effortlessly brings to the table.
The most remarkable aspect of the biopic is how well it works as an intimate study of its title character, and how Lee is able to use the man's story as a vivid snapshot into one of the most troubling and divisive times in American history.
And at the centre of the film - matching Lee's frantic intensity scene-for-scene - stands Denzel Washington, who follows Malcolm X's story through all its highs and lows, its misconceptions and its tragic end. The fact that he lost the Oscar for his performance remains one of the Academy's biggest failings.
Yes, Malcolm X has it all, from its perfect central performance, an important and timely message, and a sweeping evaluation of a time in the world no one should ever forget. It's 100% Spike Lee and 100% unforgettable, but it's still not quite the director's best film...