This pivotal event in American history deserves something a little better.

Rating: 6/10 (18 April 2016)

This is not so much a bio-pic of Lincoln's life or indeed his four odd years as president of The USA. It is purely an account of the last few months of his life, during which he succeeds in achieving the passage of the landmark constitutional amendment, which forever banned slavery in the United States. It is the story of Lincoln's incredible battle to get this amendment passed, with the requisite two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, seemingly against all odds. The background to this event is the final months of the brutal civil war, during which no less than three-quarters of a million people were killed. The amendment must be passed before the peace treaty is signed as the southern states would then vote against it. The president is torn. An early peace would certainly save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience – end slavery or end the war.
You could hardly have more epoch-making subject matter, and it is not surprising that Steven Spielberg chose this as his latest blockbuster – clearly inspired by one of America's greatest ever Presidents. It seems to me also timely and appropriate that today's American audiences should be taken back to a time, less than 200 years ago, when slavery was still part of their nation; and when they had leaders as brilliant, inspiring and selfless as Lincoln to lead them down the right path. With such an inspiring story, such a legendary director and one of the 'greatest living actors' it could hardly fail – and by all accounts it didn't. Lincoln was released to wide acclaim, and it won the best actor Oscar for Daniel Day-Lewis.
As is often my want, I go completely against accepted wisdom and declare that I found the movie quite boring. I was also singularly unimpressed by Day-Lewis's portrayal of Lincoln. I know I am being a philistine and maybe I'm letting my prejudices subvert my good judgement. I simply didn't find the 17th Century political machinations engaging - and this was the basis of the story. Neither was I impressed by Lewis' whining, mock 'hick' Yankee accent. It just didn't ring true to this movie watcher. I get more worked up watching Washington partisan intrigues on cable news than I did by watching Spielberg's Lincoln. Maybe I've watched too much American political news – but either way, the film largely left me cold.
And before my American friends accuse me of not treating this pivotal event in American history with the respect it deserves, let me just say that I have recently finished watching the wonderful PBS documentary of the entire Civil War by Ken Burns – all 12 odd hours of it; and I was totally mesmerised by the entire story – particularly Lincoln's part in it. I am a very interested and a 'concerned' student of this part of American history and I am a huge admirer of Lincoln, but for me, this movie just doesn't do him justice.
There is no doubt that Steven Spielberg is one the world's finest living filmmakers, and 'Lincoln' is not a bad film. It is well acted - but not superlatively so - well directed and well filmed. It is a thoroughly professional job that is adequate, but no more. In my humble opinion, this hugely important story at a crucial time in American history deserves something a little better.