Not a masterpiece: a ride across violence and despair

Rating: 5/10 (13 January 2014)

It is one of those movies which tell you a terrible and sadly true story about injustice and despair, in this circumstance about slavery in America. You will feel anguish and sadness. You will be be thrown in the middle of a bleak story of violence and hopefully condemn any form of racism and understand how evil have been white men, at that time in that place. No questions the movie is well done, with beautiful scenarios, very good acting, a good script, etc... but at points I wondered why should one keep watching this kind of violent and depressing stories (is it for people who ignore such things happened? then I would say its target should be schools and young children, but this is definitely not a movie addressed to them). I cannot agree with reviews saying this is a masterpiece, as I cannot find particular reasons for that. Where is innovation, creativity, poetry? A good movie it is, but mainly due to the fact it rediscovers the story of an otherwise forgotten hero. Personally I would have probably enjoyed it more if the movie kept telling the story of its hero in his fight for justice over his white masters and against slavery (for his contribution over a wider problem). Ultimately I believe this might be the reason why the main character should not be forgotten today and can be seen as a hero: for his contribution in fighting for an equal world. But this is only quickly written in the end titles. The movie is mainly a ride across violence and despair. Not the main reason I enjoy to watch movies.