Review of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) by Patrick L — 25 Aug 2014

"Idris Elba captures the soul of Nelson Mandela in this overlong but solid biopic".

DVD Movie Review: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Date Viewed: April 7 2014.

Directed By Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl).

Screenplay By William Nicholson, Based on the autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela.

Starring: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Zolani Mkiva, Simon Mogwaza, Fana Mokoena, Deon Lotz, Jamie Bartlett, Thapelo Mokoena and Terry Pheto.

It's hard to believe that "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" came out a week before Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95. His story is finally told in "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom", a well-meaning but overlong biopic. However, the performances by Idris Elba and Naomie Harris are hard to ignore.

There can be a great movie to be made about Nelson Mandela but "Long Walk to Freedom" is just pleasant entertainment.

Based on Mandela's autobiography of the same name, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" chronicles his early life as a lawyer and an activist in Johannesburg, but in 1962 Mandela was arrested and charged with conspiracy to overthrow the state and he was sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island. He was released from prison after 27 years and in 1994, he became the first black president of South Africa.

After he rose to power, Mandela told his people to unite as a nation and rebuild South Africa. Director Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) and screenwriter William Nicholson (First Knight and Gladiator) give us a mostly traditional movie that explores the main chapters in Mandela's life. Idris Elba gives a powerful performance as Mandela.

After many supporting roles in movies like "Thor", "Pacific Rim", "28 Weeks Later", "The Losers" and "Prometheus", Elba finally proves that he is an appealing actor who can do great work and he doesn't try to do an imitation of the famous South African leader.

He was played by a variety of talented actors over the years, Danny Glover played him in a TV movie back in 1987 and Morgan Freeman received an Oscar nomination for playing him in Clint Eastwood's "Invictus". The list also includes Terrence Howard, Dennis Haysbert, Clarke Peters and even Sidney Poitier.

Naomie Harris is also strong here playing Nelson Mandela's second wife Winnie Mandela. The story of Nelson Mandela could have been told in a 14-hour miniseries but as it is, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" is a solid biopic with two great performances from Elba and Harris.