Released: October 2016
Director: Nate Parker
Rated R
Run Time: 120 Minutes
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Drama, History
Cast:
Nate Parker: Nat Turner
Armie Hammer: Samuel Turner
Penelope Ann Miller: Elizabeth Turner
Jackie Earle Haley: Raymond Cobb
Mark Boone Jr.: Reverend Zalthall
Aja Naomi King: Cherry
Gabrielle Union: Esther
History is a subject that is very important to me. In my opinion, history should be important to everyone. It allows us a sense of discovery about where we come from and who our ancestors may have been. It also teaches us valuable lessons so that we can in turn teach OUR children so they don’t make the same mistakes that we or our ancestors made. While history allows us a glimpse into the past, it’s also not 100 percent accurate. History, especially during times of war, is more often than not, written by the victor. That’s just how it has been throughout human history. Because of that, we are often aware of only one perspective of a particular event. We are not necessarily given the whole picture. There are many stories during the American Civil War that have yet to be told, because they are often glossed over in favor of the bigger picture. However, that bigger picture is generally made up of SMALLER pictures. You know the saying “the devil’s in the details?” Some of the most important aspects of our history start out small, and like wildfire, spreads.
The Birth of a Nation follows Nat Turner, a slave, from boyhood until he becomes a preacher as an adult. He was allowed to study and read the Bible so his masters could get their other slaves to “calm down.” After witnessing multiple atrocities forced upon himself and those he loves, Nat begins planning a rebellion to free his fellow slaves. While that little description is the gist of the film’s plot, it’s important to understand that Nat Turner’s story is based on historical fact. In 1831, Nat Turner led a rebellion against the slave owners, which cost the lives of nearly 60 white men, women, and children. While the rebellion didn’t immediately have the effect that Nat was going for, it was a major turning point in American history. It planted the seeds for the Civil War which began 30 years later. Now, one could make the argument that what Nat did was an act of terror, and from a certain perspective, that is true. But if all you’ve known is slavery and oppression, how would YOU respond? This story is extremely compelling. This is an extraordinary story about one man’s struggle against a very evil, and very real, practice. It’s heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. This is a movie with a message. It has a lot to say, and it is important that we listen, no matter how ugly it can get.
The story would be absolutely nothing without strong performances, and we have that in spades. Nate Parker himself is exceptional as Nat Turner. We see his character go from somebody who preaches the word of God to someone who is forced to address the slavers’ blatant abuse of the Bible to justify their actions. This man gives it his all. The lovely Aja Naomi King plays his wife, and she just knocks it out of the park. When we first meet the character, she’s combative and trying to get away. Aja gives the character a very sympathetic turn. Armie Hammer hasn’t been give the credit that he deserves, I feel. While his character doesn’t come across as overly sympathetic, he doesn’t strike me as pure evil, either. When he’s not drunk, the character comes across as fairly reasonable. Penelope Ann Miller’s character, Elizabeth is probably the most sympathetic of the slave-owners. While Elizabeth still refers to Nat’s people, as “his kind,” she has more compassion for her slaves than most people would have during that period. There are some truly despicable characters in the film, though. Jackie Earle Haley’s Raymond Cobb is an absolute slimebag. The character is a “slave-catcher” and isn’t above shooting blacks on the spot. Haley is a hell of an actor and like Armie Hammer, deserves more credit than he’s been given. The performances in the film are phenomenal.
A lot of people have complained that The Birth of a Nation is nothing but another “movie about slaves.” Here’s my response to that criticism: I don’t think we have enough movies that deal with the subject. It’s something that people need to understand is a very horrible thing, and it hasn’t gone away. Sure, slavery is illegal, but it hasn’t been abolished. Not entirely. It exists in different forms but it’s still there. This film shines a light into one of the darkest periods in American history. The fact that Nat Turner’s story isn’t being taught in schools across the country is sickening. Are there issues with the film? Sure. You can tell that this is Nate Parker’s directorial debut, and as such you can see that he made some mistakes as far as editing goes. Some scenes are cut off too soon, while others linger for too long. My biggest complaint with the film is with the title. Make no mistake, Nate Parker did this on purpose. You see, in 1915 there was ANOTHER film that went by the name, “The Birth of a Nation.“ It was directed by D.W. Griffith and was a civil war epic that depicted Southerners and the KKK as the good guys. THAT film is as controversial today as it was a century ago. For Nate Parker to use that title strikes me as odd. Legally, he was allowed to. The copyright on the movie and the title expired decades ago, so it’s public domain, which means that anybody can see it for free. Here’s the thing, though: If you Google The Birth of a Nation, you’ll end up with different results. I consider myself a student of history, so the original film is an important piece of film history. For Nate Parker to try and bury that is wrong. I did my review of the film and you can check it out by hitting the reviews tab at the top of the page. It was something I felt needed to be mentioned here.
Overall, my impression of The Birth of a Nation is a rather positive one. I think it’s a really good movie that tells an important story and has a message about oppression. The film has its issues, but the overall package is very impressive, especially for Nate Parker’s directorial debut. I think it will become more important as time goes on. I actually rather like this one and I hope that everyone can take something away from it.
Final Score: 8.5/10