12 Years a Slave

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2013)

Steve McQueen's masterful, 12 Years a Slave, is one of the most hard hitting and powerful films that I have ever seen. The film is brutal in it's depictions of slavery and the unjust treatment and attitudes that were directed towards African Americans at that time. The film, which is based on a true story, is a film of tremendous artistic merit and also when you watch the film and leave the theatre, it leaves a profound effect on you. After the film was done and I was watching the end credits roll, I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes were beginning to irritate me because they were becoming watery and deep down inside my body and my soul, I knew that I had just seen an excellent and undoubtedly accurate depicture of mankind at one of it's lowest and most unforgivable times. I hated watching these slave landowners in the film and I felt deep down in my heart, both empathy and pity for the way these characters were treated by these racist and evil men. The film hit home in such a way that after I left the theatre, I was quiet for quite some time both getting over emotionally, what I had just saw and witnessed, but also the feeling the film left me with which was as I mentioned a feeling of horror and disgust and also a sense of awe and sheer appreciation towards filmmaker Steve McQueen and his wonderful cast and crew for creating a film based on facts and bringing it to be so lifelike and realistic that the film left a profound impact on me and left me with a lot to think about afterwards. Yes, the film is brutal in it's depiction of what these slaves go through and at times it can be extremely hard to watch because the film does not shy away from the brutality, mistreatment and torture that these slaves went through. It can be hard to watch, but at the same time, I felt the decision the filmmakers chose, to show the film in that intense detail was what added to the film's power and the overall effect it left on me. I know that unfortunately some may shy away and decide not to see the film for that very reason, but I strongly urge those viewers to reconsider, because 12 Years a Slave, is a film that I honestly think that everybody should see. It's important to see because of the injustice and poor treatment that is basically a part of our history and a part of history that should not be forgotten, or ignored. At the same time it presents an unpleasant and harsh look at American history, it also shows that in some ways things have improved over a span of several hundred years. Right now America, has their first African American President of the United States of America. Whether you are a fan of Barack Obama's policies, or not, is not important here. What is important is that as a people we have come forward a little bit. Something like that would not have even been dreamed of in the days of slavery, or even the racist attitudes going through the 1950's and 60's, but I think we are on the right path in a way. Unfortunately though, you will still have people who are set in their closed minded and bigoted ways who through their own learning and behaviour, still harbour racist attitudes. I know I have met and heard of people like that and I think that we all know that it still exists. These are some reasons I am still glad that 12 Years a Slave was made. It was a powerful portrait of one man's hellish journey through slavery and the many others he met while there as well. The film boasts an incredible cast who all deliver top notch and Oscar caliber performances. The screenplay is excellent by both drawing us in and keeping us glued to our seats and by invoking power, feelings and thought through it as well. The cinematography was beautiful and Steve McQueen's direction paid much attention to detail and helped further the message I think the film was trying to leave on the audience. I also liked how the film did not use bombastic music, or fake sentimentality to make us cry, or to get the emotional feelings across to the viewer. I felt the way I did at the end of the film and during it because the film made me care for these characters because these events actually went on and seeing them in their brutality and allowing us to care for these characters and the injustice they went through, hits home in a way that my writing could not do justice to. Let me just say that this, as I mentioned above, is one of the most powerful and emotionally overwhelming films I have ever seen. There are still a lot of 2013 films that I haven't seen and still need to see, but as it stands now, the one that should be taking home Oscar gold next year is clearly and undoubtedly in my mind, 12 Years a Slave. Don't miss it while it is still in theatres. One of the best films of 2013 and one of the most powerful and moving films of all time.