Solidifying my hatred of the South.

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2013)

Acclaimed director Steve McQueen (Shame, Hunger) and writer John Ridley's depressingly fascinating adaptation of Solomon Northup's autobiography "12 Years a Slave", just as the title suggests, tells the story of a free man (Northup) who in 1841 was abducted, sold into slavery and would spend the next twelve years of his life as a slave.
As one would imagine, a lot of the imagery here is hard to watch due to the subject matter. So, aside from McQueen's habit of coaxing excellent performances from his actors, if you know McQueen's work, then you know that he loves his long takes; with intent always looking towards forcing audiences to gaze upon his subject(s) unblinkingly. Anyway, in this film he focuses the majority of his long takes on sequences of the most upsetting aspects of slavery.
But even more visually heartbreaking, and this is almost totally due to a powerhouse performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor (who plays Northup) is watching Northup's spirit slowly break, as he comes to the realization that with each passing moment the likelihood of him regaining his freedom becomes less and less of a reality.
What truly sets this film apart as one of the year's best, is both a script (which not only blueprints a realistic view of everyday life on a plantation, but also contains intriguing commentary on everything from the justifications for slavery found in Bible verses, to the fact that the moral values of plantation owners differed from man to man) and a cornucopia of incredible performances. In fact, "12 Years a Slave" is one that should be up for tons of awards; assuredly nominations for Ejiofor and co-stars Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o (and even though she will be forgotten in this ensemble, the great actress Adepero Oduye's performance should be noted as well) and hopefully an Oscar win for Ridley and his masterful screenplay.
Final Thought: Yes, if you're looking to see Django Unchained 2, "12 Years a Slave" (while still containing strong violence and brutality that will make you squirm in your seat) may be too meditative for your liking. And yes, if it wasn't for the title, the timeline in this movie would have been extremely unclear. And yes, from the looks of it, Brad Pitt will never change his hair style no matter what the role. But even at its most preachy, even at its most deliberately paced moments and even if Pitt's accent is distractingly similar to the one he used in "The Counselor" and "Inglourious Basterds", "12 Years a Slave" is still one of the most profoundly compelling movies to come out of 2013 and a must see for all of those poor misguided moviegoers who thought "Lee Daniels' The Butler" was a brave piece of African American cinema.