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THE MESSIAH HERE is Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP), preaching and gathering disciples to join him in his efforts to help feed and free the people. Judas is Bill O'Neal, the follower who's secretly working for the oppressive force--the Chicago PD and the FBI circa 1968, who see the BPP as more of a threat than the Russians or the Chinese. Although the story is told from the perspective of the unsophisticated petty car thief O'Neal (facing a six-and-a-half-year sentence unless he goes undercover for the feds) the heart of the film is charismatic leader Hampton, AKA Chairman Fred. He's a...