This film, rooted in actual events—as much as those events can ever be fully understood—presents a bleak and unsettling portrayal by Kathryn Bigelow of a single night’s chaos within the city. During an outbreak of rioting, police respond to gunfire reported at a downtown hotel. Inside, they encounter a group of young Black men, along with a few white women, and what unfolds is a disturbing combination of racial animosity, prejudice, and brutality. The officers abandon any sense of decency as they leave the scene with three fatalities and nine others severely injured, evidence of their actions. Will Poulter convincingly moves beyond his previous roles—leaving behind the image of a somewhat simple character—and delivers a strong performance as the lead officer driven by a personal need for retribution; Ben O’Flynn is also compelling in his role as that officer's partner. Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith, and John Boyega all provide noteworthy performances, with Boyega portraying a state trooper attempting to navigate the difficult space between upholding the law and connecting with the African American community. The film doesn’t hold back from showing us the horrifying reality of the attitudes of superiority and contempt held by some police officers, and it powerfully illustrates how their captives were frightened and degraded by those who should have been protecting them—even that included the two white women. It truly feels like a collaborative achievement; the direction is tight, and at times, the unrelenting pace makes you question (as someone not from America) how something like this could possibly occur in a country claiming to be civilized and free back in 1967. It’s certainly not an enjoyable experience, but the occurrences in Detroit, fifty years prior, continue to echo concerns about policing and racism just as intensely today.

Source on TMDB