Released: November 2013
Director: Steve McQueen
Run Time: 134 Minutes
Rated R
Cast:
Chiwetel Ejiofor: Solomon Northup
Benedict Cumberbatch: Ford
Michael Fassbender: Epps
Paul Giamatti: Freeman
Paul Dano: Tibeats
Lupita Nyong’o: Patsey
The United States of America was founded on the promise of liberty. As a nation of many peoples and cultures, we have risen to extraordinary heights since the nation was founded. But like many other countries we have stumbled, fallen, and made many mistakes throughout our history. Some mistakes are small, but the effects of some mistakes still linger to this day. I’m speaking of slavery. This was the issue that ripped our country apart. Brothers, fathers, and sons fought each other in a great Civil War over the right to own slaves. The country was divided because the southern states believed it was their inalienable right to treat blacks as their own property. Many people in the north disagreed. During the mid-1800’s, there were many notable African-Americans who became prominent citizens. But during this period, many of the freed slaves were kidnapped and sold back into slavery. Solomon Northup was one such person. 12 Years A Slave is based on Solomon’s first-hand account of the brutality of slavery. Seeing as this movie is based on a true story, I’m going to warn you of spoilers. However, if you know your history, this comes as no surprise.
12 Years A Slave begins its story as Solomon Northup sees his family off before being invited to Washington D.C. He was invited by two men who have heard of Northup’s talents as a violinist. After dinner, Northup finds himself chained up in an unknown location. After being beaten by two white slavers, he is sold to a plantation owner, Ford, along with several other slaves. Being treated relatively well by Ford, Solomon catches the unwanted attention of overseer Tibeats. Fearing for Solomon’s life, Ford sells Solomon to another plantation owner: A sadistic man named Epps. This is a story that gives us an intimate look into one of the darkest chapters in US history. This is a bleak and very brutal movie. It’s not easy to sit through, and I’ll explain why a little later. Directed by Steve McQueen(no relation to the actor), 12 Years A Slave is an extraordinary film about one man’s struggle to survive. It’s an amazing story. It’s also heartbreaking because a man was torn from everything that loved and forced into a nasty situation. Slavery is something that should happen to nobody. But it did, and it still does.
I’m going to talk about the cast for a bit. For a movie like 12 Years A Slave, you need actors who can excel at delivering emotion not just through speaking, but also through body language. 12 Years A Slave boasts a phenomenal cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor headlines as Solomon Northup. I’ve been keeping my eye on Ejiofor ever since he showed up in the sci-fi film Serenity. The man’s range as an actor is exceptional. He doesn’t just speak his lines well, but his body language and facial expressions sell the performance like you wouldn’t believe. It’s a trait that some of the greatest actors share. Chiwetel was nominated for an Oscar for his performance and won many other awards for Best Leading Actor. He becomes Solomon Northup. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Ford, Solomon’s first owner. Cumberbatch is another actor that people are really paying attention to. The character of Ford comes across as sympathetic. This is a guy that tries to treat his slaves with some dignity, and Cumberbatch knocks it out of the park. He’s an amazing actor. Paul Dano plays one of Ford’s overseers. After his performance in Prisoners, it easy to see why he’s sought after as an actor. He puts everything into the roles he gets and Tibeats is no exception. Dano’s great at playing scumbags. The real surprise of the film is Lupita Nyong’o as Patsey. 12 Years A Slave is Lupita’s first big movie and you would never know that by how she works the screen. Her character is perhaps in a worse place than Solomon, because she’s the target of Epps….infidelity. She’s also Epps’ most productive slave. Her performance is heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. She’s won so many awards for her work in the film that’s its no surprise that she’s getting major roles in upcoming movies like Star Wars. She’s not only beautiful, but she plays her character with the maturity of someone like Alfre Woodard who also makes an appearance in the film. Michael Fassbender’s Epps is the film’s human antagonist. Fassbender has made a huge name for himself in the X-Men movies and Prometheus. He knows how to play a bad guy. Like the other actors I mentioned, Fassbender was nominated for his role. He just disappears into a role and makes it his own, no matter how despicable the character.
The true villain of 12 Years A Slave is slavery itself. This was a very brutal and sometimes deadly practice that made people a lot of money. The slave-owners treated the blacks like they were animals. They got whipped, beaten and sometimes raped. A lot of people expressed concern and dismay over Steve McQueen’s use of violence in the film. I would argue that for a subject like this, you can’t sugarcoat it. The violence seen in the film is a necessity to get the idea across that slavery was not and is not a fairy tale. I believe this is an honest approach to the subject. Slavery is ugly and it’s portrayal in 12 Years A Slave is just as ugly as it needed to be. This is not an easy film to sit through. It’s not particularly entertaining. It’s a glimpse into one of America’s atrocities. President Abraham Lincoln ran for office on the idea that all men were created equal. ALL men. When he tried to push legislation that would abolish slavery, the southern states rebelled. The resulting Civil War was devastating. But after successfully passing the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln proposed a 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The 13th Amendment would permanently abolish slavery. He managed to get it passed and signed into law. At the same, the Civil War came to an end. During that time, Solomon Northup became a very prominent abolitionist and an important figure in The Underground Railroad. It has been said that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, and I believe that movies like 12 Years A Slave are important in reminding us that we should never go down certain roads again.
I picked 12 Years A Slave because it’s extremely relevant in regards to racial tension. Looking at the news today, we’re seeing racial tensions boiling. It’s sometimes getting violent. I believe it’s important to remember the racial tensions that this country suffered in the past so we can attempt to eliminate it in the future, because if we don’t,we’ll enter another dark chapter. That’s not the legacy we need to leave to our children and grandchildren. If this sounds preachy, it may very well be. But if history has proven anything, we have the ability to overcome our differences and make a better life for everyone. Eliminating modern-day slavery and reducing racial tension will help achieve that. 12 Years A Slave may be one of the most important movies in the past 20-30 years. I highly recommend that you watch it at least once. I wouldn’t blame you for not watching more than that, but it’s absolutely worth the watch. Incredible performances and an extraordinarily compelling story help make this movie one of the best I’ve ever seen. This is easily a 10/10. Definitely recommended.