Detroit is set amidst the Detroit riots of 1967. Racial tensions are high as the Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police, and Michigan National Guard patrol the streets for crowd control and keeping the peace. Shots are heard from the Algiers Motel, so the police and guardsman search the premises for a weapon. When they are unable to find a gun, an intense police investigation unravels. The predominantly African American males residing in the hotel are then maliciously interrogated until a confession is retrieved. Those are the terrifying events depicted in Detroit.
Detroit is the latest project from the Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow and her frequent collaborative screenwriter Mark Boal. The two previously worked together on both The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, each earning a few Oscar nominations and even a win for those films in their respective categories (Both received two Oscars for Hurt Locker in the categories of Best Picture and Best Director/Best Original Screenplay). Deviating from her trajectory of war films, Bigelow thrusts audiences straight into the chaotic atmosphere of the '67 Detroit riots.
Bigelow re-teams with Barry Ackroyd, her cinematographer from The Hurt Locker, and utilizes a handheld camera to ensure viewers feel submersed in these appalling events. Large portions of Detroit are shot in a documentary style, but the camera is maneuvered differently as it gets up-close, and personal to these actors so the viewer can distinguish beads of sweat and discern heavy breathing. This technique turns out to be incredibly effective, because audiences will be nauseated by every cruel kill and the brutal beatings will rattle viewers throughout this uncomfortable watch.
Detroit's a rude awakening to the hidden horrors of America's racist past of police brutality that is unfortunately still relevant today in some instances. Thankfully, Mark Boal knew better than to victimize all cops or dignify those in open rebellion. It's shown that some rioters were woefully ignorant as they ransacked businesses owned by blacks, and even the most virtuous enforcers fouled up by not reporting heinous acts because they didn't want to deal with all the red tape. Boal's screenplay is a dramatization of the events, but the actions occurring onscreen can't help feeling eerily realistic (with the production and costume design only adding further authenticity).
However, it's the performances on display that bring it home. John Boyega's security officer Dismukes will probably irk some viewers for his lacking support, but there's nothing he could have done in that situation when you stop and think about it. Boyega's subtle performance communicates an inner sense of unease that's drastically different from his costar's intense emotional outpours, but still impressive. Jacob Latimore, Algee Smith, Anthony Mackie, Jason Mitchell, and Payton Alex Smith all accentuate fundamental fear in this startling situation and manage to extract some unexpectedly extraordinary range. Algee Smith, in particular, flexes his acting chops quite a bit over the course of the two-and-a-half hour runtime.
Will Poulter, on the other hand, extrapolates a refined hatred as the racist cop Krauss. Viewers will find themselves so wrapped in Poulter's despicable behavior that they'll even hate his lawyer for sticking his neck out for the guy. Guess who the lawyer's played by? John Krasinski. Never in my life did I think I could possibly direct malintent towards Jim from The Office, but it happened. I would not be surprised in the slightest to see Poulter be a major contender for Best Supporting Actor this awards season. At his side, Jack Reynor and Ben O'Toole put in some solid work as accompanying policeman, but neither are anywhere near the contemptible heights Poulter reaches.
Despite an off-kilter animated opening that took me off guard and a crawling conclusion, Detroit's a film that will definitely be joining the awards conversation this year. I will warn those intent on seeing Detroit that it's a harrowing watch, but a necessary one nonetheless. Detroit is about an event fifty years ago, but its relevance to ongoing issues today underscores this is a difficult discussion that the human race still needs to have.
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