Though there are far fewer new movies to enjoy this summer, acclaimed auteur Spike Lee Da 5 Bloods. The film tells the story of four black Vietnam veteran buddies who return to the jungle to search for the remains of their fallen comrade and a case of buried gold.
The movie is a thrilling adventure while also proving to be incredibly timely as it speaks to some of the major modern discussions of race in America. The complex story Lee tells is further elevated by the performances from an outstanding group of actors who make up this ensemble.
Jean Reno As Desroche
When the four friends decide to return to Vietnam for the gold, they first need to make arrangements to get the gold out of the country once they find it. For that, they make an uneasy partnership with a French businessman named Desroche.
Jean Reno brings a sense of class to the role and his early scene in which he argues over the military history of America and is funny. However, once his villainous nature is revealed, the character does become a bit too cartoonish.
Paul Walter Ha As Simon
While on their mission, the treasure seekers happen to meet a group of activists who work to remove landmines from the area. One of the of this group is Simon, played Paul Walter Ha.
Despite his acting career being on the rise, Ha's role in pretty minor here. However, he still manages to infuse it with a delightful and subtle sense of humor that makes it stand out more than it should.
Johnny Nguyen As Vinh Tran
When the Bloods arrive in Vietnam, they are met by their guide, Vinh Tran, who has been hired to take them to the jungle where they will venture on without him. Tran's family fought for the South Vietnamese during the war and shares a kinship with the Americans.
Though not a substantial role, Johnny Nguyen brings a lot of substance to the character. He is a man of rational thinking and levelheadedness, which serves the group well once things start going wrong. It's also good for a movie about Vietnam to have a positive Vietnamese character featured.
Mélanie Thierry As Hedy
The leader of the group of landmine activists is a French woman named Hedy. She is a strong and charismatic woman who believes deeply in her mission and whose main concern is only doing the right thing.
Mélanie Thierry is very effective in the largest female role in the film. Her scenes with David are especially poignant and once she and her team become captors of the Bloods, she has a lot of fun being the most aggressive and tough of the prisoners, showing no fear in standing up for herself.
Norm Lewis As Eddie
Eddie is the smallest role among the five main characters, but Norm Lewis still makes it memorable. Eddie reunites with his friends as the rich member of the group who is actually hiding his own failures behind the veneer of wealth.
Lewis gets a few big moments and makes the most of them. He feels like the moral com of the film, reminding the others why they are there and what that money should be used for. His shocking death sends the story spiraling into chaos and Lewis' performance is a big reason for that.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. As Melvin
Melvin feels like the comedic relief member of the group, though never taking it too over-the-top. Like the rest of his friends, Melvin carries the horrors of their time in the war with him, but he also seems to control it better than the others.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. brings a fun sense of humor to the role, which often helps to relieve a lot of the tension. He plays Melvin as someone who only looks out for himself until lives are on the line and then he is willing to make the big sacrifices.
Clarke Peters As Otis
Otis is the pseudo leader of the treasure seekers or at least the man who seems to have a plan. He set the whole thing up and is the one who tries to talk sense into his friends when they are losing control.
Clarke Peters is great at playing those wise, authoritative roles and does it once again in this film. He is the center of the team and remains strong even as the team starts to break. His scenes with his long-lost daughter and former lover allow for some emotional layers for the character, which Peters' nails.
Chadwick Boseman As Stormin' Norman
Though he is best known as a hero in the MCU, Chadwick Boseman plays a much more grounded hero in this film. Boseman plays Stormin' Norman, the leader of the Bloods when they were in Vietnam and the only one who died in the war.
Though he is only seen in flashbacks and dream sequences, Norman's presence is felt throughout the film. Boseman gives a powerful and energized performance that makes Norman seem almost otherworldly without going too far. Without his performance, the movie would not have been nearly as effective.
Jonathan Majors As David
The four former soldiers are also ed on their journey by David, Paul's son who comes along uninvited on the treasure hunt. Though he initially claims he wants a cut of the gold, it becomes clear that David is just looking out for his troubled father and wants to spend time with him.
Jonathan Majors gives many layers to this performance, mixing humor with heavy dramatic gravitas. His scenes with his father are especially powerful with Majors selling the emotional pain of that relationship beautifully.
Delroy Lindo As Paul
With the movie is very much an ensemble, Paul is very much the main focus of the story and Delroy Lindo's performance towers above the rest. Paul is a man long suffering from his time as a soldier, filled with rage, hatred, and pain. His return to the jungles only causes him to spiral further.
Lindo gives a commanding performance, bringing so much intensity and honesty to this very flawed yet sympathetic character. He is the highlight of the film and his performance is already being heralded as one of the best of the year.