When I saw the trailer for "Detroit" (2017) I decided I wasn’t going to watch it for the same reason it took me three years to finally break down and watch "12 Years a Slave" (2013)-- I only did it for extra credit, one year to watch "Selma" (2015), and will take an infinite number of years for me to watch Birth of a Nation" (2016). There’s just something about watching movies about the struggles overcome by Black people, the violence against Black bodies, and the hardships faced by the Black community that deeply unsettles me.

For every historical problem, there is a present equivalent. We go about our daily lives convinced they are no longer there, but in reality, they have simply masked themselves and faded into the background. In light of this phenomenon, for my article this week I will discuss the movie, its characters, and their associated themes in and next week I will discuss their historical and present significance.

Detroit (2017) masks itself as a simple docu-drama about the Detroit riots and the events that took place at the Algiers hotel, but in reality, it is about a multitude of themes. While many people have critiqued the movie as “historical torture porn” or as falling short of being a “mold-breaker”, I would argue that the craftsmanship necessary to combine a multitude of topics well and accurately is commendable. These topics, however, may not be so obvious to the naked eye. Therefore, I have made a list of 7 themes and a few of their subsequent scenes and characters that can be found hidden within the 143 minutes.

1. Structural Racism

“Are you all really trying to convince me that none of you are criminals? Because let’s be honest. You all probably are.”

For some, the true depth may be drowned out by the whiplash they’re still experiencing by the amount of blood and violence on screen, however, it plays a large role in the movie. In this specific case, the underlying belief that black people are criminals, or even that they are likely to be criminals, is Krauss’s justification for what he does.

In his heart he believes that even if there was no gun in the hotel, they will at least be able to find the prime candidate to pin the crime on, and are serving the community in some way, because he believes that in a room full of black people, there must be at least one criminal. Ironically, in this particular instance, the true criminal in the room is him.

2. The Impact of the Many on The Few and The Few on The Many

“Yea. How long are they going to be rioting for?”

“Why should I know?”

In this specific scene, Dismukes, a security guard introducing himself to soldiers and policemen, is expected to be able to explain the nature of the entire riot to them although he obviously is not partaking in the riots nor does he share the sentiments of the rioters.

On a larger scale, the entire Algiers hotel incident is reflective of this phenomenon; the way in which black people are all representatives for each other at all times and the way in which the actions of few impact the many. The death of the men at the Algiers is the result of the larger tensions caused by the Riots. The death of the men and the trauma experienced by others is also the result of one man’s choice to act without heeding the consequences of his actions.

3. The Relationship Between Law Enforcement and the Black Community

“There’s no justice for me here.”

Although this extends farther than the police (the movie does a very blatant job at pushing the ‘not all cops’ point), it really focuses on the relationship between the police and the black community. From being told to get off their own streets to watching policemen senseless beat anyone within an arms distance, it is very clear that the law enforcement of the community is severely disconnected from the citizens.

The shift into the courthouse proves to further exemplify the lack of checks and balances and accountability within the community. While the investigators do their best to ensure that the police are held accountable, the rest of the system merely absorbs and protects the police instead of the citizens the police are sworn to protect.

4. Desensitization to Violence and Other People's Trauma

“This isn’t easy for me.”

Imagine being beaten nearly to death, watching people be killed, and losing people you love in the same event, and being expected to continue on with life as per usual. In Larry’s case, that is his reality, as his dream of becoming a singer becomes tainted as the trauma of the event keep him from viewing his dream singularly. After the event, what was once simply music becomes the way through which his labor becomes revenue and entertainment for white people guarded by the same people that committed the crimes against him and went free. His false sense of safety is gone, the people he loves are gone, and the thing he loved to do is gone. Even further, the ability for a not guilty verdict to occur relies on the desensitization of the violence experienced by the witnesses on the basis of some ‘logical’ reasoning (aka. their skin color, profession, criminal histories, etc.).

5. Treatment of Ex-Cons

“You see a black man in a court room and you assume that he must be on trial.”

The practice of ‘discrediting’ a witness due to their criminal history is a very harmful practice, as it strips them of their humanity and sends a message that anyone can do anything to someone as long as he/she is a criminal. In this case, a combination of all four previous themes comes in play, as Black witnesses are reduced to their criminal history, a history that is assumed and searched for due to structural racism. Even further, the resulting desensitization is the ultimate goal, as the idea that the violence against criminals is less severe or bad because we assume criminals are bad people, the result of a few criminals being bad people. Overall, from the beginning of the incident to the end of the trial, law enforcement relied on the victims of their crime to get them off. And they succeeded.

6. The "Uncle Tom" Complex

“You really are alright, though.”

Dismukes character plays an interesting role in the movie, as it is clear that he is a hardworking, no-nonsense person who believes that if you don’t start any trouble there won’t be any trouble. From the beginning he is painted as the “Uncle Tom” character, something he believes is a result of his having more power that the general Black person, but in reality has more to do with his willingness to roll over to authority, which is the police in this case. Ironically, the scene in which Krauss tells him that he’s different from the others and a good guy is two-pronged, as it is often what authority figures assume ‘Uncle Toms’ want to hear, and is actually often what they do want to hear. In this case, however, it highlights Dissmukes’ role in what happened: he didn’t question it nor do anything to stop it.

7. The Role of White Women in the Destruction of Black Bodies

“Thanks for saving us.”

When caught in a room with two white girls, it is assumed that Lee won’t make it out of the hotel alive. The girls, two young girls from Ohio, tricking to make money on their rebellious adventure, are silent as Lee is beaten. While it is assumed that he is their pimp, in reality, he is an ex-soldier, a fact that is beaten out of him and responded too with more beating as it is assumed false.

Later, a National Guardsman on hand takes the women out of that section of the hotel and puts them in a room far away from what is occurring. A conversation that begins as accusations about why he is allowing them to kill the black men ends with a “thanks for saving us” and inquiries to ensure they can continue business. The movie clearly depicts the relationship of white women with the violence against black bodies, especially black men, as they often ignore or downplay the importance of race, only to escape the true consequences of their actions later on.

Our need to be comfortable is what has led to its events being relevant 50 years later. To assert that the movie is “just another Black History movie” or “about the Detroit Riots” would be a severe oversimplification. While the movie is far from perfect and leaves you far from comfortable with its unflinching, unfiltered, and unmitigated depiction of institutionalized violence, it is worth the discomfort.I sincerely believe that each of its weaknesses is the result of a calculated decision meant to highlight its strengths: The messages it conveys and the conversations it inspires. However, the only way to have an opinion and join the conversation is to go see it.