A Huge Career Leap For Actor David Oyelowo & Director Ava DeVernay

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2015)

Keeping in view the current incidents surrounding the Ferguson protests which has once again escalated the racial tensions in the United States, the timing & arrival of Selma couldn't have been more apt. Not because it brings any solution to the present unrest situation but brilliantly demonstrates just how far we still remain from an ideal society that treats everyone as equal, no matter what their race, colour or creed is.
Set in the titular city of Alabama state in 1965, the story of Selma concerns events surrounding the Voting Rights Movement carried out by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & his organisation which ultimately led to the famous protest march from Selma to Montgomery as an exhibition of black American citizens' desire to be allowed their constitutional right to vote, that was granted later that year with the passing of Voting Rights Act.
Directed by Ava DuVernay, Selma is crafted with meticulous care & passion, focuses on one event that became a landmark achievement of the 1960s America Civil Rights Movement and through that, successfully captures Dr. King's vision, tactics, political skills & even flaws. Set pieces nicely recreate the timeline its story is set in, Camera-work is brilliantly carried out, Editing works for the most part & its background score only gets better as the film progresses.
Coming to the performances, Selma features a highly committed cast in David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Roth, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey & others, and all of them have done a fabulous job in their given roles. But spearheading the acting department is Oyelowo who is absolutely brilliant, charming & believable in the role of the legendary civil rights leader and it's a shame that his revelatory performance was completely sidelined by the Academy.
On an overall scale, Selma is an impressive piece of history filmmaking that's very gripping when all its elements are balancing each other yet there are few instances where its narrative feels dramatically stale & could've used a few more trims. Although by no means a truly great picture, Selma still makes up for an essential viewing thanks to Oyelowo's commanding lead performance & DuVernay's passionate direction and does a fascinating job in honouring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.