Steven Spielberg's biographical piece is magnificent, if a little meandering

Rating: 9/10 (21 August 2016)

Steven Spielberg brings a masterful vision and storytelling to the screen when it comes to tackling historical periods. His awe-inspiring visionary shined brightly in the World War II genre when he wrestled on films like Academy Award winner 'Schinder's List' portraying the horrors of the Holocaust, and 'Saving Private Ryan' which centered on a fictional story, but with a devastatingly authentic portrait of active combat. It is safe to say this director really knows his American History. In this biographical drama set during the Civil War era, Spielberg captures an ingenious portrayal of one of the most iconic political figures in American history: Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of United States. This iconic figure however, was more than just a president in a tall hat, he was a man who sparked a revolution on our country brought grace through his political intuition before his notorious assassination. Daniel Day-Lewis steps in the role as Abraham Lincoln in this historical piece following his final months of his presidency during the concluding year of the Civil War. In desperate measures to end slavery of African Americans, Lincoln pushes the Congress to enact the Thirteenth Amendment which was set to outlaw slavery. Fighting against the odds of the Confederate who's in favor of ending the war, but keeping slavery. Lincoln must acquire the support of his politicians including Secretary of State William Seward (played by David Straithairn) to win the voting at the House of Representatives against the democratic forces, while facing a troubling relationship with his wife Mary (played by Sally Field) and his Union Army soldier Robert (played by Joseph-Gordon Levitt).
Steven Spielberg is tremendous at painting an uncompromising portrait of the Civil War period, and the political world that defined that era. Opening with a brutal battle sequence between the Union and the Confederate Army featuring bloody combat with countless soldiers slaughtered and drenched in the mud, the movie captures it's grueling historical subject matter with plenty of grit and spirit, and Spielberg's compelling vision of the historical period doesn't end there. From the moody production design, to the appropriately written dialogue, to the costume design; Spielberg does a magnificent job on creating an environment that feels believable the time oft he story's setting. But when portraying a story of the historical figures' presidency in the height of the Civil War, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) selling point is the screenplay written by playwright Tony Kushner who last collaborated with Steven Spielberg in the writing of 'Munich' in 2005. Driven by Kushner's script, the film presents a smart, informative story revolving around Abraham Lincoln and his significant measures on getting the Thirteenth Amendment passed to abolish slavery, and the plot focusing on his struggle against the Democratic Party who opposed his political ideas. The script makes great effort on capturing the story fact-by-fact, while supplementing a few notable liberties in the process. Although the way in which the story is executed does result in a very slow pace that tends to kill the interest in the story, particularly for those with little patience. But at the same time, it also results in a story that provides a valuable history lesson for both children (if they're even interested) and adults.
For a highly influential political figure, must be one of the Hollywood's most actors talented actor to step into their shoes. That is where Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis comes in place. Lewis provides a deeply enthralling performance as the titular character, delivering sheer humanity and life into the role. From the first shot introducing his character, Lewis captures a performance so believable, he disappears into his character. And the incredibly done make-up on the actor makes it more possible for us to see not the actor, but the famous figure he is portraying. Sally Field, being the fine actress she is, gives a credible performance as First Lady Mary Lincoln, the wife of Abraham Lincoln who is faced with a tumultuous relationship that threatens to tear their marriage apart. Playing his eldest son is Joseph-Gordon Levitt has some great moments on screen, but perhaps not enough to make him memorable. Along side these actors is a large cast of David Straithairn as a Secretary of State, Tommy Lee Jones as the head of House of Representatives, James Spader as the Republican Party leader who supports Lincoln on his abolishment of slavery, Tim Blake Nelson as the lobbyist Richard Schnell, and Halbrook as another member of the Republican Party in support of Lincoln, the lists goes on. These actors all give some alright performances, but the overload of supporting characters too often render their performances less memorable. After all, Daniel Day- Lewis who gives it all to stand out amongst the cast as the titular character here.
Lincoln is a spectacular biographical piece complete with Steven Spielberg's potent direction and a powerful performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. Though the overall execution of the film is a bit meandering and slow-paced, it grants us with an enthralling story that is both entertaining and highly informative; and best of all shines a true light on Spieberg's inspiring filmmaking.