12 Years a Slave Review

In 19th century New York, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free born African-American, is leading a happy life with his wife and children. A fiddle player, he accepts an attractive offer to play while his family is out of town. But he is conned. Abducted, chained, and transported to Louisiana, Solomon’s twelve years as a slave begin…

Based on Northup’s 1853 autobiography, 12 years a slave is by no means a “first date” movie. A combination of breathtaking cinematography and brutal realism make for a visceral and awe-inspiring experience. Some scenes will wrench your heart, and others will anger you, especially when we’re reminded that slaves really did go through all of what we see in the film. The acting is what truly engulfs the audience into the 1800s, and ups the ante on the already in-your-face realism. Ejiofor plays a brilliant lead, capturing Northup’s anger, fear and determination when the situation demands it. Your palms will sweat as he toils under the sun; your heart will thump as he plans an escape; your teeth will grind when he witnesses a child being stripped away from her mother. Ejiofor will put you straight into Northup’s shoes.

Northup encounters a range of diverse characters that challenge and develop his persona, and this is what allows Ejiofor to make his character so authentic. One of the most volatile interactions with Northup is with his ruthless slavedriver, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Fassbender portrays a fantastically hateable antagonist who will make all the Caucasians in the cinema guiltily sink into their seats. An actor has mastered a believable villain when the audience wants to strangle him, and Fassbender does exactly that. But amongst the ensemble, the spotlight shines brightest when Lupita Nyong’s Patsey comes on screen; a young slave who is raped, beaten and whipped, and will make you believe you are watching a documentary. Her first major film role, Nyong’o outshines the rest of the cast, including Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt (Bass) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Ford).

The film can get very hard to watch, but you can take solace in Steve McQueen’s shots of lush, tranquil landscapes which juxtapose nicely with the gory racism. McQueen’s artistic cinematography switches seamlessly between harsh and serene moments, sometimes combining the two- such as an uncomfortably calm shot of Northup being hanged from a tree. But amongst the hurt, there are still calmer moments where Northup contemplates by himself. The close-ups of Northup coupled with the mesmeric soundtrack give for a meditative experience, although at times these scenes can drag on a bit. Hans Zimmer provides his trademark, grandiose score- which will give you chills the first time you hear it, but by the fourth and fifth times, you will be asking yourself, “Wasn’t this song in Inception?”

Like many of its competitors (Gravity, Captain Phillips), 12 Years a Slave relies more on character development and emotion to drive its story, rather than a thick plot. The visceral journey 12 Years a slave takes you on definitely stands above the rest in its year and even the last decade, but it is up to the audience to decide whether that is a good or bad thing. The film is a fine balancing act between placid scenery and brazen violence, but in the end, the landscapes won’t be what you will remember. Definitely watch this film if you are not easily offended; otherwise just take your kids to Frozen.

12 years a Slave gets 4 Chiwetel Ejiofor heads out of 5. Definitely check this movie out and be ready to both enjoy and be disgusted by the plights of a free man turned slave

Review written by Saqif