(2014) [Trailer]
Director: Steve McQueen [IMDB]
It's crazy to think that slavery was abolished in the US only 150 years ago. It's also crazy to think that the practice of slavery still exists in some parts of the world today. The human species is a strange animal capable of incredible things and also horrific things. Slavery is an ugly scar in the timeline of humanity, it's something that should never be stamped out, and it shouldn't be sugar coated. George Orwell once said “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
Synopsis: A free man living in New York is abducted from his family and forced into slavery for 12 years.
Before watching this, I heard a ton of hype... "best film of the year", "it's gonna win tons of oscars", "It's the most powerful film ever made"... after watching it, I can see why. Hype or no hype, 12 Years A Slave is a profound film and one that deserves any accolades it receives.
12 Years is a harsh and blunt look at slavery, taking no liberties with the subject matter. Within all the despair and heartache McQueen found way to take his style and make it work. The score, cinematography and editing bring a level of mastery that shows the promise he has as a director and I'm absolutely looking forward to more films from him. Side Note: I've only seen one other Steve McQueen film, Shame, and I really enjoyed it... read about it HERE.
History is important and 12 Years A Slave captures a part of it so effectively that it's hard not to recommend it. For what it was trying to achieve, it's perfect.
