Tense thriller ‘Supremacy’ explores racism and family conflict

Director Deon Taylor delivers a tense thriller based on the true story of a white supremacist Garrett ‘Tully’ Fuller (Joe Anderson), who holds an African-American family hostage after killing a police officer. Tully commits the crime hours after completing a 14 year armed robbery sentence, and his drug-taking accomplice Doreen (Dawn Oliveri) helps him to terrorise the Walkers.

Renowned actor Danny Glover plays Mr. Walker, a patient ex-con whose family deals with fear and frustration by bickering. In a memorable scene, the mother (Lela Rochon) criticises her daughter (Robin Bobeau) for having children in a tense conversation. Tully and Doreen also have a complex relationship and it is clear they do not trust or respect each other, despite subscribing to the ideals of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Taylor does a good job of communicating how it is that individuals get sucked into causes that are exploitative and hateful. Interestingly, Mr.Walker and Tully are both self-hating men who despite differing in age, race and even ideology manage to relate to each other on a human level. Tully comes across as passive and in some instances ambivalent to the events unfolding around him, and Tully latches on to the Brotherhood because he craves approval and acceptance.

This gripping drama will be screened at The Teachers College (Columbia University) on January 9.

Watch the trailer below.