This is one of the most difficult films I've had to watch, but is filled with phenomenal performances...

Rating: 9/10 (5 June 2014)

Some films have subject matters which are tricky to watch but important to know about. "Schindler's List" is by no means a film that you come out of and think "I really loved that", but it gets its message across effectively and is emotionally rewarding. In that film particularly, realism is key, and Spielberg doesn't hold back in images of brutality. "12 Years a Slave" is even more horrific at times and one of the most difficult films I've had to watch in a while, but it conveys important messages about racism and slavery, and thanks to its phenomenal performances, makes you relate so much to its characters.
The film follows Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free man who is kidnapped and taken into slavery. He fights for years to prove his innocence, while working under numerous cruel masters, including those played by Paul Dano and Michael Fassbender. One of the film's successes is in not creating a clear divide between black and white, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt both playing characters who support and are kind to Solomon. But under Fassbender's character, Edwin Epps, he is beaten often, as is Patsey, played by Lupita Nyong'o.
The performances in the film are all brilliant, especially those of Ejiofor and Nyong'o, who convey pain and suffering like I have never seen before on screen. They are both convincing and don't overstate it, which is what makes the characters so successful. You feel every minute of Solomon's journey, and he makes you root for him so much. The film's brutality is one of its most important parts, and occasionally you have to look away due to the sheer extremity of it all, but the fact that nothing is held back adds a sense of reality to it. The scars on Patsey's back after she has been lashed repeatedly are horrible to see, but send such an important message.
Steve McQueen shoots the film in a very artistic way, with lots of lingering shots on the beauty of the New Orleans country side. However he knows where to focus his camera during the more painful scenes to make them even stronger. A single extended shot, which runs for probably 2 minutes but feels like ages, shows Solomon tiptoeing around in some mud while hung up by his neck. The camera does not move, and you just hear the sounds of his throat clicking as he gasps for breath. It's difficult to witness, and goes on just a bit too long, but again this cruelty is important to the story, because it makes the audience think. It also makes the ending, which is filled with so much emotion, a whole lot more rewarding because we have seen and can understand everything that these characters have been through.
"12 Years a Slave" is an utterly unique movie. It has moments which are so difficult to watch, and perhaps it is important for audiences to know what they're getting in for before they watch this, but the stunning performances and breathtaking cinematography help to make it a rewarding and thought provoking experience.