Review of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) by Kevin P — 16 Apr 2014

Nelson Mandela is one of the most known and respected characters in recent history where this movie is a clear representation and screen adaptation of his biography written by himself. I don't think that I should go in to detail of what this movie is about and how it appeals to the audience. My job today is not to write about the plot in general like I do most of the time but to realize how effective it is as a movie in terms of doing justice to great Mandela.

Mandela's character is portrayed by Idris Elba. My first impression was that there is a chance that I might be disappointed as Idris is seldom (or never) seeing making great character performances. He is mostly cornered in to portraying roles in commercial flicks. But proving that his true potential was not tapped by the directors so far he delivers a commendable job in this movie. Idris bring out the best of Mandela accent to action and for good reasons manages to show the power this great leader possessed within.

With a high production value and very good detailing throughout Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom does not look cheap in anyway. The story spreads via decades and the characteristic differences in each era is beautifully crafted. Maybe it is one reason that works a bit negative on the movie as well. Sometimes it feels like the movie is covering too many incidences from Mandela's life and movie is stretching eternally. But there are clear connections in everything and none of it seems unnecessary. If the viewer is not bound by time and enthusiastically enjoying the movie the long running time will not be a point to consider.

And on a personal note I would prefer to see more of what Mandela did on the ground for the battle for freedom in terms of his strategic guiding of the members of ANC. But it will definitely reduce the time given on his personal life. And this is a tricky point indeed as for Mandela he almost had no personal life from one point and everything was political thereafter. Finally talking about the production the only point I would find frail is the makeup. It doesn't stand up to the quality of the other details and the prosthetic work done on Mandela seems poor.

To sum this up Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is one of those movies that you must see. Not because it will give you great joy to witness a great character comes to life on the screen but the joy of realizing the ideal he stood for. No matter which country or which race or religion you were born to there is only one universal truth. Everyone is equal and no one deserves to be punished for things what they don't have control of such as the skin color.