Review of The Birth of a Nation (2016) by Tvjerry — 10 Oct 2016

For those who don't remember their history, Nat Turner (played with poignant power by Nate Parker) was a slave and preacher in 1800s Virginia, who led the country's largest slave rebellion. This film, which is a masterful first effort by writer/director Nate Parker, doesn't revel in the violence or extreme cruelty.

Even though there are appropriately brutal moments, he's chosen to focus on the emotional experiences that led to Turner's transformation. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances are forceful.

It takes a bit too long to build momentum, but once it does, the film builds to moving and powerful final image.