MOVIE REVIEW - 12 YEARS A SLAVE

MOVIE REVIEW - 12 YEARS A SLAVE

    

Good day peeps, hope your weekend was splendid? Mine was because I spent it in the company of my real girl friends.  I am not supposed to be doing a movie review on a Monday, but I saw the movie 12 years a slave at leisure mall film house with two of my friends on Friday. Tears rolled out my eyes uncontrollably and I witnessed a lady walk out of the movie room before the movie ended. At that point, I knew I should review the award winning movie 12 years a slave.

 I and my friends on our way to see the movie 12 years a slave.

12 years a slave is an award winning movie, with 9 Academy Award nominations including best picture, the Writer John Ridley, Director Steve McQueen, the cast which features the talented Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Kenyan screen godess Lupita  Nyong’o, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Alfre Woodard, among other cast and the behind the scene crew especially the director of photography, should be getting ready for an award speech, because this movie is timeless.

Based on a true life story, the autobiography of Solomon Northup played by (Chiwetel Ejiofor) was published in 1853, produced in October 2013 and now in cinemas on January 10 2014. Solomon Northup in the movie is a violinist by trade and lives as a free black in Saratoga Springs, New York north of America with his wife and two kids, until he was deceived by two men that works for a travel circus, who got him drunk only for him to wake up and finds himself as a prisoner. He is then shipped and sold off to slavery in Louisiana. His first Master William Ford played by ( Benedict Cumber batch ), treated his slaves fairly but due to some depth he incurred, he sold Solomon out to Edwin Epps, played by (Micheal Fassbender) a sadist and alcoholic who owns a cotton plantation. One of Steve McQueen’s movies HUNGER which makes him a good interpreter goes a long way to show how well he directed this movie.

In Solomon’s quest to survive, he had to conceal his identity and the fact that he can read and write. My best part of the movie was when Solomon tried to defend himself against a power tasty foreman played by (Paul Dano), by whipping him with the same whip used in beating the slaves. What baffles me is how the slaves go about their normal duties as tho nothing was happening, while one of them would be brutally punished, just as when Solomon was hung on a tree with his legs almost dangling and barely touching the floor because he tried to defend himself. The part that brought tears to my eyes is the scene, some of them very graphic and appeared real in their horror, is when one of the slaves Patsey played by (Lupita Nyong’o) was stripped and whipped till her flesh was sore and torn opened, the scene were slaves who die would be wrapped up and thrown into the sea and the scene were slaves were brutally executed.

The set design, choice of location and cinematography, helped create a setting, background and certain roles created to take the viewers back and forth in time, yet retaining modern motion picture quality in our present time, which puts you in a reflective moment and can be viewed in years to come, because of the picture quality, ever wonder why it was also nominated for best picture Award? Now that is historical documentation. The Ancient costume by Patricia  Norris is perfect to depict the 18^th century role and slave trade in the movie. The makeup is real and shows every scene in its originality.

The Nude part of the movie wowed me, it was all bare, not to entertain but to show the inhumane and degrading role that the slaves where put through. One of the slaves referred to Solomon as a Livestock put up for sale. The characterization and the brittonic dialogue is literally and metaphorically inventive. The plot tho! Predictable is also inventive. The kid actors played a wonderful role.

Solomon’s story and quest to freedom is engaging, played well by Chiwetel and was able to sum 12 years in 2 hours 13 minutes, thanks to the director. Lacking in the movie is the romantic role and sensational elements which many slave trade movies indulge, that makes 12 years a slave the greatest future film of slavery in America, a courageous movie and my favorite slave trade movie. The moral of the movie, can be found in the drinking part, don’t dine amidst strangers, even if you do, don’t get drunk. Be persistent you can’t run out of luck in hustle to freedom, just as Solomon shared his problem with Bass played by (Brad pitt) in the movie, even after he was betrayed by one. Most importantly modern day slavery and kidnapping is still prevalent, so be cautious. The movie tells and reminds the Blacks of their roots and struggle to freedom. The historical horror of the black slave, all summed up in 12 years a slave. 

THIS REVIEW ISNT ENOUGH TO EXPLAIN THE DEARTH OF THE MOVIE, SO WATCH IT. You can click to see the preview HERE

12 years a slave is insightful, informative, engaging, a historic and powerful movie that takes you back to the root and makes us appreciate and respect freedom. It’s a 5 star sign rating for me and a most watch for all. - Ethniques by Uju Lilian Ikegbune

Pictures - e-online
video- imb.com