Details
-SPOILERS FOLLOW-
Kudos must go to every actor in this film, with the possible exception of Brad Pitt, who you get the feeling took a production credit so he could turn up and be the savior of the oppressed black man in order to appease his racial guilt. Ejiofor anchors the events of the film with his quiet but resilient determination while imbuing Solomon with a intelligence and nobility of spirit. He will survive but not commit himself to damnation in order to do so. The most eye-catching performance belongs to Michael Fassbender, his Edwin Epps is a real life monster, a walking powder-keg; there is a constant uncertainty that you fear he may go off at any second. Between preaching his biblical right to own slaves (which he refers to as his property) and his consuming obsession for slave Patsey Fassbender's performance has you longing to see his downfall. The two women of his life Lupita Nyongo and Sarah Paulson also give powerful performances as Patsey and Epps' wife Mary. You feel the abuse Patsey has taken when she begs Solomon to murder her and the conflict in Mary between her principles and her husband. However her despicable actions show her to be on the same level as Epps, proving she is his wife. Mention must also go to Benedict Cumberbatch's William Ford, who despite not appearing for very long presents a complex individual: although he believes in the slave trade he treats them well. He also has a sense of morality as he attempts to keep a family together and is clearly upset when he fails to do so and witnesses it being torn apart.
Director
Steve McQueen
Starring
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Michael Fassbender
Benedict Cumberbatch
Brad Pitt
Paul Dano
Writer
John Ridley
Length
134 minutes
Plot
Freeman Solomon Northup is lured to Washington in 1841 and awakens one morning in chains. He is sold into slavery on a plantation in the south and these are the hardships he endured.
Plot
Freeman Solomon Northup is lured to Washington in 1841 and awakens one morning in chains. He is sold into slavery on a plantation in the south and these are the hardships he endured.
-SPOILERS FOLLOW-
Steve McQueen's Oscar winning third feature 12 Years a Slave puts a spotlight on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free-born African American who was captured and placed into slavery for over a decade and the horrors he endured. This film is harrowing and intense, and worthy of the numerous accolades that have been showered upon it. McQueen's direction is strong (with one glaring exception), despite the atrocities taking place the scenery is stunning and every actor is working their hardest. At the same time the plots razor thin, the soundtracks incongruous and at its worse its slightly dull.
Kudos must go to every actor in this film, with the possible exception of Brad Pitt, who you get the feeling took a production credit so he could turn up and be the savior of the oppressed black man in order to appease his racial guilt. Ejiofor anchors the events of the film with his quiet but resilient determination while imbuing Solomon with a intelligence and nobility of spirit. He will survive but not commit himself to damnation in order to do so. The most eye-catching performance belongs to Michael Fassbender, his Edwin Epps is a real life monster, a walking powder-keg; there is a constant uncertainty that you fear he may go off at any second. Between preaching his biblical right to own slaves (which he refers to as his property) and his consuming obsession for slave Patsey Fassbender's performance has you longing to see his downfall. The two women of his life Lupita Nyongo and Sarah Paulson also give powerful performances as Patsey and Epps' wife Mary. You feel the abuse Patsey has taken when she begs Solomon to murder her and the conflict in Mary between her principles and her husband. However her despicable actions show her to be on the same level as Epps, proving she is his wife. Mention must also go to Benedict Cumberbatch's William Ford, who despite not appearing for very long presents a complex individual: although he believes in the slave trade he treats them well. He also has a sense of morality as he attempts to keep a family together and is clearly upset when he fails to do so and witnesses it being torn apart.
Whilst McQueen's direction is strong, there are beautiful shots of Solomon rowing through swampland and of the south at sunset which provide a slight art-house feel at the same time the whole thing feels kind of impersonal and made like clockwork, 'have close-up here, pause for effect' so there is never a particular flourish that makes you think "oh and that's why it won best picture". Or perhaps McQueen was refraining from flashy showmanship in order to let the subject matter truly speak, that maybe the case but it certainly doesn't feel that way. As mentioned earlier the glaring exception I have with McQueen's direction is during the sequence where Epps chases Solomon around the plantation yard and some pigsty's. In this sequence Epps falls into some mud and then trips over a fence; yet in the next shot of him on the floor he is not covered in any mud. Now perhaps I'm being pedantic but this lapse in continuity completely took me out of the film and I was asking myself how did something that obvious win Best Picture. Additionally the running time is too long for the events of the narrative, the entire film is basically saying 'slavery is awful, look' and does this for over two hours while very little happens besides this. That said it is a guarantee that you will be at least fighting back tears by the end. I was. The guy next to me was crying. So were the three people in front.
Hans Zimmer's soundtrack does not compliment the visuals that it is supposed to emphasize. During the scene in which Paul Dano's raging overseer attempts to hang Solomon I muttered under my breath why is the BRWARM effect from Inception playing in the background. It just doesn't fit with what is on-screen. While you could compare this to Django Unchained's use of rap music to argue that the soundtrack of a period movie doesn't have to be of the period itself it just felt jarring here. No soundtrack with only Solomon's muffled groans audible would have been more effective.
The final gripe I have with this film is that despite being about slavery and therefore about the abuse that the African American has received the main cast is predominantly white beyond Solomon and Patsey there is next to no other character of colour.
Despite my complaints about this film I feel I should make one point clear: I went to see this film on the 18/03/2014 and I have written this review on the 28/04/2014, -over a month later- and I can still remember the parts I enjoyed and griped about effectively. If that is not an endorsement of how this is a powerful piece of cinema that stays with you long after seeing it then I don't know what is.
Rating (out of 5)
4
The final gripe I have with this film is that despite being about slavery and therefore about the abuse that the African American has received the main cast is predominantly white beyond Solomon and Patsey there is next to no other character of colour.
Despite my complaints about this film I feel I should make one point clear: I went to see this film on the 18/03/2014 and I have written this review on the 28/04/2014, -over a month later- and I can still remember the parts I enjoyed and griped about effectively. If that is not an endorsement of how this is a powerful piece of cinema that stays with you long after seeing it then I don't know what is.
Rating (out of 5)
4
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