Brilliant work by Duvernay

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2019)

The focus of this film is the 1965 march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the state capital. The purpose of the march was to protest the lack of voting rights given to black citizens despite their legal right to vote. As Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the main protest leaders, the film also focuses on his personal life.
David Oyelowo is a perfect choice for the role of King. He easily portrays the great leader's ability to deliver great speeches while he also shows genuine vulnerability in King's home life where his mission has obviously taken a toll on his marriage and family. Oyelowo gives a very well-rounded performance.
Director Ava DuVernay has done a superb job of taking an important historical tale and turning it into a very moving drama. Whether it be the camera movements and editing during crowd scenes (some of which are violent) or the use of low lighting in interior scenes, the viewer is carried through this special story with wonderful technique.
Regarding the violent scenes, DuVernay seems to know exactly how much is important to show and how much is enough. Those scenes are never in-your-face, gratuitous, or unnecessarily prolonged. Many other directors could learn from this principle.
The conclusion is truly magical. While it does not pretend that the struggles ended (as recent events have shown), it takes a grand moment and turns it into the celebration and glory it truly deserves. As a testament to the great collective spirit of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement during one of the most inspiring decades in recent history, "Selma" moves the spirit in the best of ways. Truly exhilarating and inspiring.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Directing by Ava DuVernay