12 Years a Slave Movie Review

The historical drama is a genre which has heaps of potential to evoke deep emotion and impact in addition to painting an often shockingly realistic picture of life in the past. With ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ Director Steve McQueen (the British director, not American actor mind!) has created one of the finest examples of this and it’s kicked off the 2014 year of movies superbly.

‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is based on the book of the same name and begins in 1841; a time when the slave trade in America was still very widespread and follows a man named Solomon Northup, a free negro living in Saratoga Springs New York. On a seemingly normal job offer as a musician he is kidnapped, stripped of his name and sold into slavery; from here it’s a bitter struggle for ‘’Platt’’ as he, along with other slaves, endures the varying torment and racism of white folk across East America. ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is arguably the most realistic and sincere portrayal of the slave trade ever put to cinema; acts of immense cruelty are scattered throughout the narrative, emphasising that a slave’s struggle is never over, whether they are being stripped to be put on display or being whipped at the stake, moments like these will undoubtedly remain etched in your mind. In addition the film’s pacing truly does highlight the enormity of Solomon’s struggle; it’s an incredibly slow film, often placing emphasis on Solomon’s attempts to fit in and avoid provoking the anger of his masters. It’s an impossible situation to be in and in keeping the pace slow, the prospect of Solomon being stuck like this for so long really starts to hit home. The plotline of ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ can be summed up in one word, emotional; the slaves are never safe and the masters are always one step away from unleashing their rage. This persists through the entire film and the final scenes are appropriately throbbing with relief.

With such a tumultuous time period comes the need for a greater level of emotion from its characters and ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ passes this area with flying colours, making the audience feel the suffering of the slaves while also making them hate their oppressive and often despicable masters. Chiwetel Ejiofor does a great job of channelling the immense sadness and frustration that fills Solomon throughout his ordeal but the action isn’t always entirely focused around him; Patesy (Lupita Nyong’O), introduced later in the film, endures twice the abuse and suffering as any of the other slaves and is easily the emotional heart of the film, despite not being the main protagonist. On the other hand we have Michael Fassbender playing Edwin Epps; a nasty piece of work who believes his dominance over black people to be a God given right. Whether he’s threatening Solomon or punishing his slaves, Fassbender once again delivers a brilliant performance, creating a fundamentally evil antagonist that the audience dislikes enormously. The other side characters are also well done with Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt lending their talents to more sympathetic roles in this grim setting; we learn plenty about them but they never overstay their welcome or distract from the main cast throughout the film.

The way ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is presented also makes a big impression. The biggest draw comes from the cinematography; often times the camera will focus on the face of a slave as they are brutally beaten both physically and mentally, or it will just sit there and let the audience stare at a particular moment for a while. These angles generate immense impact, emphasising the no-holds-barred portrayal of slavery and can also imply passage of time. Just as the plot proceeds at a slow pace, the camerawork does the same; when Solomon is hung from a tree, barely holding onto his life, you can tell that he has been left to hang for hours. When Patsey is whipped at the stake, you feel her pain with every lash. In terms of absorption and artistic quality ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is one of the best, but the positives don’t end there. Using just three notes from a violin, the main theme of ‘’12 Years a Slave’’, composed by Hans Zimmer is just as emotive as the rest of the film while other tracks relate to the time period and setting perfectly. Overall despite all the horrible events that occur, ‘’12 Years a Slave’’ is a technically stunning movie from beginning to end.

‘’12 Years a Slave’’ achieves what it sets out to accomplish in a way few movies can; it draws you in, makes you feel the struggles of the characters, while offering an unrelenting look into the past at a country that was once plagued with unspeakable discrimination.

Rating: 5/5 Stars