Friday 7 February 2014

12 Years a Slave (2013)

  '12 Years a Slave' is a 2013 American film directed by Steve McQueen. Not that one. The other one.
  It follows Solomon Northup as he gets captured by slave kidnappers, taken away from his wife and kids, and sold to plantation owners in the South of America. Firstly, he is sold to Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), a plantation owner which respects him and treats him with respect. Tibeats (Paul Dano) helps with looking after the slaves, and after Solomon, renamed Platt, attacks him, Ford sells him to Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) for fear that Tibeats will kill him. Epps is a far worse slave owner, whipping the slaves constantly, treating them worse than animals.
  Despite this being frontrunner for Best Picture at this years Oscars, it is far from the best film. It is powerful, and the acting nominations were deserved, I just thought 'Blue Jasmine', 'Gravity' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street' were better films overall.
  We all know what this film is about, so from the second he is captured, we want to see him being reunited with his family. The film makes you wait 2 hours, which is more frustraiting then suspenseful. The cinematography has one or two gorgeous shots (the camera gliding up river, past strange blossoming trees), but they are spoiled by having a shallow depth of field. The actor is in the foreground in focus, but the background is blurry. I appear to be the only person frustrated by this, but I believe a deep depth of field would have made the film look gorgeous.
  Also frustrating is the way the actors stare into the distance, with no words being spoke, nothing occurring on screen, just them staring. It's allowable in Art Movies but feels completely out of place in a Hollywood Historical Epic.
  '12 Years a Slave' can be compared to 'Roots', but 'Roots' is more memorable and superior in almost every way. As catchphrases go, I feel like "I AM KUNTA KINTE OF THE MANDINKA TRIBE" is better than "I WILL NOT FALL INTO DESPAIR WHILE FREEDOM IS OPPORTUNE".
  Most will enjoy this film, but I have to admit that 'Shame' was better. Steve McQueen (Not that one) is a very talented director, who can get incredible performances from his actors. Nice to see cameos from Omar (from 'The Wire') and Fassbender's crotch.
Every year for the past couple of years, the Academy has chosen history over special effects and innovation ('The Hurt Locker' over 'Avatar', 'The King's Speech' over 'Inception', 'The Artist' over 'Hugo', 'Argo' over 'Life of Pi') and this year will see no change as '12 Years a Slave' will win over 'Gravity'. Oh well.



TO CONCLUDE
This is very much an acting film with incredible performances from the entire cast.

SCORE
75

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