Jack Aling’s review published on Letterboxd:
We Ain’t Home.
There have been many films about Vietnam over the years, but Da 5 Bloods returns in 2020 to show for many the war was never really over.
Spike Lee has created some of his most visceral and passionate work to date as a group of four men return to Vietnam to pay their respects to their fifth member and collect what they left all those years ago. The cast is spectacular, especially Delroy Lindo who gives such an engrossing, intimidating, and vulnerable performance - one of the years best. Through the use of 4:3 flashbacks paired with the 2.39:1 modern-day scenes and real archive footage, an atmosphere of nostalgia and chaos is created which perfectly matches the uncertainty felt during the war and now on their return.
A story of redemption and forgiveness, it challenges stereotypes and as many of Lee's films - the themes are as frustratingly topical as ever. A surprisingly impactful piece that cannot afford to be missed, especially given the Netflix distribution.
