Dreamed Vengeance takes the viewer on a powerful and visceral journey through Martin Luther King Jr's process of political and social awakening. It provides a modern and immediate scenario in which the major ideas and issues of his time period are laid bare for the viewer within the context of a film that shows how some things change while others stay the same. Taking a literal but creative interpretation of King's declaration "I have a dream", we see the young minister within a modern and prophetic setting. The issues that he fought to change are seen as the central plot points in the story, particularly the harsh reality of racism and economic disparity. Young Martin (Marlon Daniel) and his buddy Monty (Marcus Spencer) are struggling to attain employment, a circumstance which we see is largely exacerbated by potential employers allowing their personal prejudices to dictate the hiring process. Things becoming increasingly difficult until the two are forced to move into a hotel room with their girlfriends and eccentric buddy Paul (Dann Mead.)
Despite the difficulties, Martin and Monty eventually secure a manual labor position, but this proves to be two steps forward and one step back. There they face the unreasonable demands of a supervisor who doesn't appreciate their efforts or have any empathy for their situation, pushing them to impossible standards. Though the situation is rife with conflict, the film is also a story about survival, perseverance, charity, and love. Martin's relationship with his girlfriend is a central source of strength as he navigates the mounting challenges, and his buddies Monty and Paul provide plenty of comic relief and quite a bit of heart as well. It's a highly unique and engaging film, that besides brining all of the mentioned issues to the forefront for discussion, also makes for an interesting approach to storytelling, and leaves the viewer with a strong sense of optimism about the kinds of changes they can make a on a personal level to benefit humanity as a whole.
