Some subjects are just so important that there can never be too many movies about them. The facts have to be repeated over and over again to remind people and never let them make those mistakes again. Slavery and the Holocaust/Shoah are a couple of examples. 12 Years a Slave tackles the first one. It’s hard to believe that black people weren’t fully integrated into the American society until late in the 20th century, just by their skin color and in a country considered first world.
The backstory is real-life person Solomon Northup (played by critically-acclaimed newcomer Chiwetel Ejiofor) a musician and free man that is tricked and sold into slavery. In his 12-year path he endures great trouble, sees first-hand the mess in the US south in several plantations. The cast is very diverse including breakthrough Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o as Patsey, Michael Fassbender as ruthless owner Edwin Epps, Benedict Cumberbatch as William Ford, Brad Pitt as canadian Samuel Bass and Paul Giamatti as slave-trader Theophilus Freeman, among others.
Its direct by brit Steve McQueen, adapted from the original best-seller by John Ridley and produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, McQueen, Arnon Milchan and Anthony Katagas. It marks McQueen third feature-film direction after Hunger and Shame, all which have included Michael Fassbender in the cast.
The movie has a good script and production, but not execution unfortunately. It’s incredibly slow and feels long for the viewer, the editor did not achieve his goal. There were many scenes when a character would see into the horizon for what seemed like an eternity, all for no good reason, as it didn’t bring anything to the course of the movie. This movie may be talked about now, but I doubt people will remember it 10 years from now.
The perks are the actors performances’ as well. Chiwetel and Lupita are heartbreaking and will make you cry in more than one ocasion. Brad Pitt is the only sane white man in the whole wide south and you’ll hate with all your soul Michael Fassbender, it’s reminiscent of Ralph Fiennes role in Schindler’s List.
Seems like all the period pieces have to be long to have an impact on the critics, something that as a viewer is not appreciated. 12 Years A Slave is a 3.5/5.
Vivian Russo
Film critic from my point of view 