Some movies are made simply to entertain, while others want to make you uncomfortable, start a conversation, and leave you thinking about what you have just watched. By Any Means falls somewhere in between. It is an action-driven crime thriller, but underneath the violence and investigation is a much heavier story about racism, justice, power, and what happens when the system itself gets in the way of justice.
Directed by Elegance Bratton and written by Sascha Penn, the film takes audiences back to Mississippi in 1966, during one of the most turbulent periods of the American Civil Rights Movement. The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg in two very different roles that eventually bring them together.
The basic setup is fascinating: a young Black FBI agent is assigned to investigate the killing of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer, but when the official investigation struggles to make progress, the FBI turns to an unlikely person for help — notorious Mafia hitman Gregory Scarpa.That unusual partnership becomes the heart of the film.
What Is By Any Means About?
At its core, By Any Means is a historical crime thriller inspired by real events.The story takes place in Mississippi in 1966, where civil rights activists are facing threats and violence. The murder of Vernon Dahmer, a prominent NAACP leader, becomes the center of the investigation.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Wayne Strider, a Black FBI agent who returns to Mississippi and finds himself working in an environment where racial prejudice has deeply affected the justice system.When the case reaches a dead end, the FBI brings in Gregory Scarpa, played by Mark Wahlberg. Scarpa is a Mafia hitman with a completely different approach to justice.
He isn’t interested in playing by the rules.This creates an unusual partnership between two men who come from completely different worlds. One represents the law, while the other has spent much of his life operating outside it.
The official synopsis describes the story as a situation where justice and vengeance begin to blur. That idea is important to understanding the movie because the film repeatedly asks how far someone should go when the normal system fails.
By Any Means Cast
The movie has a strong cast led by two recognizable Hollywood names.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Wayne Strider, the FBI agent at the center of the story. His character is presented as disciplined and committed to doing things properly, at least in the beginning.
Mark Wahlberg plays Gregory Scarpa, the Mafia figure brought into the investigation. Scarpa is almost the complete opposite of Strider. He is aggressive, unpredictable, experienced, and comfortable using methods that an FBI agent normally wouldn’t consider.
The supporting cast includes Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito.Giancarlo Esposito plays Vernon Dahmer, whose murder serves as the historical foundation of the story.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Performance
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has one of the more demanding roles in the movie because his character has to go through a noticeable emotional change.Wayne Strider begins as someone who believes in procedure and the institution he works for. But as he sees the reality around him, that confidence starts to crack.
The situation forces him to question whether following the rules is enough when the people responsible for enforcing those rules are unwilling or unable to protect innocent people.
Abdul-Mateen gives the character a serious and controlled presence. His performance works particularly well during the quieter moments, when Strider is forced to process what he is seeing rather than simply reacting to it.His relationship with Scarpa also gives the film some of its strongest moments.
Mark Wahlberg as Gregory Scarpa
Mark Wahlberg takes the film in a completely different direction.Scarpa is not a traditional hero. He is a violent Mafia figure who has been brought into the FBI investigation because his connections and methods can accomplish things that official investigators cannot.That makes him both fascinating and uncomfortable to watch.
The character is deliberately rough around the edges. He doesn’t have much patience for bureaucracy, and he sees violence as a practical tool rather than something that should always be avoided.Wahlberg plays Scarpa with a larger-than-life quality that gives the character plenty of attitude.
At times, the performance can feel deliberately exaggerated, but that fits the movie’s stylized approach. Critics have had mixed reactions to this portrayal, with some finding the character entertaining and others feeling that the performance is too broad.
The Chemistry Between the Two Leads
One of the biggest strengths of By Any Means is the contrast between its two central characters.Strider and Scarpa shouldn’t work together.They have different backgrounds, different personalities, different ideas about justice, and very different relationships with violence.Yet that difference is exactly what makes their partnership interesting.
There is tension between them, but there are also moments of humor and unexpected understanding. Their conversations provide the film with some breathing room between the darker scenes.
The movie uses their relationship to explore an interesting question: can people with completely different moral codes work together when they share the same goal?The answer isn’t simple, and the film doesn’t always try to make it simple.
A Story Inspired by Real Events
One thing viewers should understand before watching By Any Means is that this is not presented as a straightforward historical documentary.The movie is inspired by real events, particularly the 1966 murder of Vernon Dahmer and Gregory Scarpa’s involvement as an FBI informant.
However, Wayne Strider is a fictional composite character based on Black FBI agents from the period. Paramount also describes the film as being based on the extraordinary historical circumstances surrounding the case.That distinction matters.
If you watch the movie expecting every character and event to be historically exact, you may be disappointed. The filmmakers are using history as the foundation for a dramatic story rather than attempting to recreate every event exactly.The Guardian also notes that the film takes significant dramatic liberties with the historical material.So it is better approached as a fictionalized historical thriller inspired by real events.
The Civil Rights Era Setting
Civil rights activists are targeted, law enforcement is affected by racism, and Black communities are forced to deal with threats that the authorities aren’t always willing to confront.
This makes the investigation feel bigger than a normal murder mystery.
The 1960s Mississippi setting gives the movie a serious atmosphere from the beginning.The film isn’t simply using the period as background decoration. The political and racial climate is central to the story.
The characters aren’t just trying to identify criminals. They are operating inside a system where prejudice has made justice much more difficult to achieve.That gives the movie a historical weight that many conventional crime thrillers don’t have.
Action and Violence
If you are expecting a quiet historical drama, By Any Means may surprise you.The movie contains significant violence and some extremely disturbing scenes. Reviews have described the film as graphic and unflinching, particularly when depicting racist violence and brutality.
The action isn’t there simply to make the movie exciting. Much of it is connected to the film’s larger themes of fear, revenge, and justice.Still, the violence can be difficult to watch.
The film carries an R rating for pervasive language and violence/bloody images, according to Rotten Tomatoes.So this isn’t a movie I’d recommend if you are looking for light entertainment or a relaxed weekend watch.
Direction by Elegance Bratton
Director Elegance Bratton gives the movie a distinctive visual identity.
Rather than presenting the story like a traditional historical drama, Bratton uses a more stylized approach. The result is a movie that can feel intense and visually striking, even when the subject matter becomes extremely difficult.The direction also helps separate the film from a straightforward police investigation.
There is a sense that the filmmakers want viewers to feel the ugliness of the period rather than simply observe it from a safe distance.That approach won’t work for everyone, but it gives By Any Means a personality of its own.
What Works in By Any Means?
The strongest part of the film is arguably its central partnership.Putting a young Black FBI agent and a Mafia hitman together is an unusual choice, and the contrast gives the story plenty of energy.The historical foundation is another major strength.
The murder of Vernon Dahmer is already a serious and important part of American history, so using that event as the basis for a thriller gives the movie something meaningful to explore.
The film also benefits from strong performances, particularly from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and the supporting cast.And then there is the question at the center of everything: what happens when the law fails?That is a question that gives the movie more depth than a standard action thriller.
What May Not Work for Everyone?
The biggest issue is that the movie can sometimes feel heavy-handed.Its subject matter is already powerful, but some scenes push the message so aggressively that they may feel more like provocation than subtle storytelling.The violence is another potential problem.There are scenes that are deliberately brutal, and viewers who are sensitive to graphic violence or depictions of racist abuse should know what they are getting into before watching.
Some critics have also questioned the movie’s handling of history and its fictionalized elements. The Guardian reports criticism from Vernon Dahmer’s family regarding the film’s historical liberties and its portrayal of certain characters.That doesn’t necessarily make the film unsuccessful, but it does mean viewers should understand that By Any Means is interpretation, not a documentary recreation.
Is By Any Means Worth Watching?
If you enjoy historical crime thrillers, action movies with serious themes, or stories based loosely on real events, By Any Means is certainly worth considering.The combination of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg gives the movie a strong central dynamic, while the Civil Rights-era setting gives the story considerably more weight than a typical crime thriller.However, it isn’t an easy watch.
The film deals with racism, murder, violence, and institutional failure in a very direct way. Some scenes are intentionally disturbing, and the movie doesn’t always take the subtle route.So whether you enjoy it will depend largely on what you expect from it.If you want a historically inspired thriller with action and strong performances, there is plenty here to appreciate.If you are looking for a strictly accurate historical account, you should keep in mind that the film takes creative liberties.
By Any Means Release Date
By Any Means is scheduled to arrive in U.S. theaters on September 4, 2026. Paramount Pictures lists the same date for its theatrical release.
The movie has a reported runtime of approximately 1 hour and 47 minutes and carries an R rating.
That makes it a relatively compact thriller, especially considering the amount of historical and political material it tries to cover.
FAQ’S
1. What is By Any Means about?
By Any Means is a historical crime thriller set during the Civil Rights era and inspired by the investigation into the murder of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer.
2. Who stars in By Any Means?
The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg, along with Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, and Giancarlo Esposito.
3. When is By Any Means releasing?
By Any Means is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 4, 2026.
4. Is By Any Means based on a true story?
Yes. The film is inspired by real historical events, although it uses fictionalized characters and takes creative liberties with the story.
5. Is By Any Means worth watching?
It may be worth watching if you enjoy historical crime thrillers, intense action, and movies that explore themes of justice, racism, and morality.