Review of 12 Years a Slave (2013) by Adam H — 03 Jan 2015

While it isn't quite the earth-shattering masterpiece it has been hailed as, 12 Years a Slave is still a praiseworthy piece. Steve McQueen's historical drama has the guts to look at the brutality of slavery and maintain the gaze, without ever succumbing to sentimentality, sermonizing or sensationalism.

A lot of the film's success is to do with that it is seen through the eyes of the slaves themselves; Solomon Northup (whose story is the basis of the film) may be a too easy lead character in all his nobility, but his job is also to work as an observer, through whose eyes the audience look at one of the darkest periods of American history.

And dark it is indeed; while Quentin Tarantino exploited slavery and grotesque violence in Django Unchained to deliver another indulgent yawn (and then gratuitously said he wanted to inspire "conversation"), McQueen's film takes every facet of the topic seriously.

There are numerous both physically and psychologically violent scenes that make the film sometimes revolting to watch. But the violence, like everything else in the film, is never played out for entertainment.

The film is particularly accomplished in that none of the characters feel like caricatures; the slave owners are more than just piggish villains, and Northup, while somewhat underdeveloped as the lead character, is not a larger-than-life hero who finds perfect redemption at the end.

While some other characters appear on the screen for only a minute (but played by renowned actors like Paul Giamatti and Brad Pitt), they help to form an overall picture of how slavery functioned as an institution.

If the film attempted to make all of them three-dimensional figures, it would only drown in its own ambition. McQueen's direction is unflinching, and some of the most unforgettable scenes include Solomon joining to a slave choir and accepting his fate, and the slave girl Patsey's brutal whipping scene, for the sole fact that it is so traumatic.

Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a perfectly understated performance, Michael Fassbender is unforgettably ferocious, and the newcomer Lupita Nyong'o will break the hearts of everyone despite very little screen time.

The rest of the supporting cast (Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Paul Dano) is first-rate as well. The only problem is that due to Solomon's lack of character development, the film too often feels like a chilling and distant history lesson than an emotionally wrenching drama.

The lead characters in McQueen's two previous films (Hunger and Shame) have also been mysterious ciphers, so that is something he'll have to learn to fix in the future. But 12 Years a Slave is nevertheless an important film and a potent reminder about a period in history that has too often been belittled and distorted.

While it is easy to accuse it of trying to provoke liberal guilt, it deserves to be seen.