“By Any Means” is a disturbing and troubling film.

This is not to say that the film should not be seen.

By all means, see “By Any Means.”

However, be forewarned: The film has numerous depictions of graphic violence.

“By Any Means” recounts the African-American voter registration drive during the 1960s in and around Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

In 1966, the leader of a get-out-the-vote campaign, Vernon Dahmer (Giancarlo Esposito), head of the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) died when his house and family, including his wife and two children, were fire-bombed, allegedly by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

The fiery death of Vernon Dahmer is one of many horrific scenes of brutal violence depicted in “By Any Means.”

As if to fight fire with fire, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) teams an African-American FBI agent Wayne Strider (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) with Brooklyn, New York, mob hit man Gregory Scarfa Sr. (Mark Wahlberg).

Scarfa is shown using physical force in his interrogations to find out who is responsible for the death of the NAACP leader.

Scarfa uses what modern nomenclature might call enhanced interrogation techniques on the suspects. Sometimes, he gets the information he seeks. Sometimes, he does not.

That doesn’t stop Scarfa, nor the African-American FBI agent, who subsequently is shown using torture techniques.

“By Any Means” is “based on a true story,” states a title card at the start of the film.

I was unaware of the use of brutal interrogation techniques in the investigation of civil rights cases in the south.

Historical accounts state that Colombo crime family enforcer and FBI informant Gregory Scarpa Sr. was sent to Mississippi to get information concerning Congress of Racial Equality activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who disappeared near Philadelphia, Mississippi, during the 1964 “Freedom Summer” African-American voter registration drive.

According to historical accounts, Scarpa returned to Mississippi in 1966 to help investigate the death of Vernon Dahmer.

In the film, FBI agent Wayne Strider is a fictional character.

“By Any Means” is directed by Elegance Bratton (director: “Move Ya Body: The Birth of House,” 2025; “Hellfighter,” 2024; “The Inspection,” 2022).

The “By Any Means” screenplay is by Sascha Penn (screenwriter: “Creed II,” 2016). Penn is not related to Sean Penn.

The “By Any Means” cinematographer is Ante Cheng (Primetime Emmy Awards two-time nominee: “Pachinko,” 2024, 2022).

The “By Any Means” composer is Terence Blanchard (Oscar nominee: original score, “Da 5 Bloods,” 2021; Oscar nominee: original score, “BlacKKKlansman,” 2019).

“By Any Means” is not unlike a buddy cop film, or good cop bad cop trope. In this case: good cop, no cop.

“By Any Mean” is reminiscent of “Mississippi Burning” (1988), directed by Alan Parker and starring Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe as two FBI agents investigating the 1964 murders of Civil Rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.

“By Any Means” also recalls “Green Book” (2018) for the portrayal of bickering and disagreements between the African-American FBI agent and the Italian hit man, not unlike that of Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen in “Green Book.”

Mark Wahlberg (Oscar nominee: best picture, “The Fighter,” 2011; Oscar nominee: supporting actor, “The Departed,” 2007; “Ted,” 2012; “Boogie Nights,” 1997) has a compelling screen presence.

In “By Any Means,” his performance is a terrifying combination of Ray Liotta (“Goodfellas,” 1990), Joe Pesci (“Casino,” 1995). Tom Cruise (“Mission: Impossible,” 1996) and Jack Nicholson (“The Departed”).

This is not to take away from Wahlberg’s performance. He’s always intriguing on screen, even if, as in “By Any Means,” he sports a prominent fake proboscis that is problematically distracting.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Primetime Emmy Awards winner: supporting actor, “Watchmen,” 2020; Primetime Emmy Awards nominee: lead actor, “Wonder Man,” 2026; “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” 2023; Aquaman,” 2018; “Candyman,” 2021; ”The Trial of the Chicago 7,” 2020) projects a reserved, thoughtful and solid presence.

Notable In supporting roles are Giancarlo Esposito as Vernon Dahmer, the NAACP leader; Nicole Beharie as Allison Strider, the FBI agent’s wife; David Strathairn as the FBI agent’s boss, Special Agent Roy K. Moore, and LisaGay Hamilton as Rebecca Brewer, a neighbor who witnessed the firebombing of the NAACP leader’s house.

At the end of the film, title cards present information as a denouement, intended to support the film story’s validity.

By the way, the phrase “By Any Means” entered the American lexicon in a speech by Muslim minister and Civil Right activist Malcolm X in 1964 in New York City. It was considered antithetical by many in the peace movement.

“By Any Means” is an important addition to the oeuvre of movies about the “Bloody, Sunday Bloody” Civil Rights era.

The film presents a more complicated, nuanced and somewhat contradictory viewpoint of a previously mostly unblemished crusade.

Does the end justify the means?

By any means, see “By Any Means.” Then, you decide.

“By Any Means,” MPA Rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian for violence, bloody images and pervasive language; ! hour, 47 minutes; Genre: Docudrama, Political Thriller. Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “By Any Means” has an original song, the title song, written by Diane Warren and performed by The Isley Brothers and Dave Kushner, heard during the closing credits.

Filming took place from April to June 2025 in Atlanta, Ga.

The film includes a title card during the closing credits: “This movie is a fictionalized version of a real-life event, the murder of Vernon F. Dahmer, Sr., local civil rights activist in Mississippi, and the surrounding events. Vernon F. Dahmer, Sr. died protecting the voting rights of black Americans.”

At The Movies: ”By Any Means” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Sept. 18-Sept. 20: “Resident Evil,” a horror film directed by Zach Cregger (director, “Weapons,” 2025) based on the video game, had the biggest first weekend domestic box office ever of the six previous films in the franchise, opening at No. 1 with $60.1 million in 3,684 theaters.

2. ”Practical Magic 2” dropped one place from its one-week run at No. 1 with $12.1 million in 4,143 theaters, $50 million, two weeks. 3. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” dropped one place, $6.4 million in 3,017 theaters, $944.4 million, eight weeks. 4. “The Odyssey” dropped one place, $4.9 million in 1,546 theaters, $609.8 million, 10 weeks. 5. “Coyote vs. Acme” stayed in place, $4.4 million in 3,035 theaters, $54.7 million, four weeks. 6. “Daniel and the Fiery Furnace,” an epic live-action biblical drama origin story about the prophet Daniel, $3.3 million in 1,525 theaters, opening. 7. “The Transformers: The Movie,” 40th anniversary re-release, $3.1 million in 1,454 theaters, $4.1 million since Sept. 17 opening. 8. “Runner” dropped four places, $3 million in 2,472 theaters, $11.8 million, two weeks. 9. “The Weight,” an historical drama starring Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe and Julia Jones, $2.3 million in 1,504 theaters, opening. 10. “Buddy” dropped four places, $1.9 million in 1,543 theaters, $24.8 million, four weeks.

Movie box office information is from Box Office Mojo as of Sept. 20.

Unreel, Sept. 25:

“Primetime,” MPA Rated R; 1 hour, 50 minutes. Lance Oppenheim directs Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Phoebe Bridgers, Bokeem Woodbine, Alex Winter and Anna Faris in the True Crime Biography Thriller. In 2006, “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen set out to make television history.

“Heart of the Beast,” MPA Rated PG-13; 1 hour, 41 minutes. David Ayer directs Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe in the Survival Adventure Drama. After a plane crash, a Special Forces officer and his combat dog are stranded in the Alaskan wilderness.

“Forgotten Islands,” MPA rated PG; 1 hour, 49 minutes. Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado direct the voice talents of Dave Franco, Jenny Slate and Manny Jacinto in the Computer Animation Fantasy Comedy. Two friends become stranded in the mystical world of Nakali, where their only escape might cost them their shared lifetime of memories.

Movie opening date is from Internet Movie Database as of Sept. 20.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes