Da 5 Bloods is a social commentary that sheds light on black man’s patriotism in a white America.

Do you believe that wars have a happy ending? Is it everything about hoisting our countries flag with pride? Is everything about receiving the medal of honor from the president? Is it sitting on a comfy couch and telling the next generation the brave stories in the war? It is not always the case.  The new Netflix movie Da 5 bloods gives a deep insight into the trauma left by war.  

Academy Award winner Spike Lee who is known for BlacKkKlansman and Do the right thing comes back with a new venture Da 5 Bloods. As the name suggests, it is about the blood and brotherhood between 5 black Vietnam veterans.

Four old Vietnam war veterans come back to Saigon after 40 years to look for a hidden treasure and the remains of their missing ‘team member”. But they don’t even know there is much more they have left in a brutal war in which America lost. To make things worse, they also discover that one of the four has not recovered from PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disease, even after decades.Will they be able to meet their friend and pay the homage? Will they retrieve the gold? How many sacrifices will they have to make for it, when the mysterious land ask for its due.

The best part about the film is its setting. We should not forget that it was the same time as the Vietnam war when black Americans were marching on the streets for their civil rights. The contrasting images of patriotism and racial oppression faced by African Americans are visible throughout the film. 

Last April, there was a video of Chadwick Boseman, where he looked skinny. Now we understand why. Chadwick Boseman’s character acts as a guiding light for the story. Clark peter gives another notable performance.

But the heart of the movie is still the Delroy Lindo’s fantastic performance. We can see trauma, powerlessness, greed, and guilt from his expressions and body language. Give this man an Oscar nomination! 

Sometimes Da 5 Bloods makes you laugh louder for its black humor. Sometimes it brings tears to your eyes, and sometimes it even put you on the edge of your seat.

One of the problems I found in the film was its duration. I felt that it could have been a little bit shorter as several scenes felt emotionally detached. The second problem I felt was the loose ends in the third act. The writers initially pitched the idea for white characters. Later it had to be changed to fit the black American setting. It worked perfectly for most of the movie until, in the third act, it went back to heist thriller mold. I also felt the cinematography in the present-day scenes could have been a little more creative, whereas 16 mm scenes for flashback worked out very well. Also, I wish performances of minor characters of Vietnamese descent could have improved.

Da 5 Bloods is a good watch because of its relevance in the current socio-political climate of the United States. It is not as perfect as BlacKkKlansman but it still works because of the social commentary that sheds light on black man’s patriotism in a white America.