Steve McQueen's Twelve Years A Slave

[dark_b]

i think after the The Counselor i will need a big break from Fassbender. i am uncomfortable watching his face...... those eyes.

he is the best actor or just a real monster.

 

[terry78]

He has a knack for playing tortured bad guys, definitely. It'd be hard seeing him play a nominally normal good guy.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

People don't want to deal with it, basically. Slavery has always been one of those "just get over it, I had nothing to do with it" things people just have a hard time admitting actually happened.

I always thought if only there was a good enough slave movie it would make people understand the true humiliation and horror of institutionalized slavery and racism. But I didn't realize those who want to understand already do and those who don't want to understand never will.

I just wish those who build up a wall would understand it's not about increasing racial finger pointing, it's about increasing human empathy.

 

[terry78]

All the IMDB posts are basically dismissing the movie's existence with this mindset.

 

[The Guard]

I always thought if only there was a good enough slave movie it would make people understand the true humiliation and horror of institutionalized slavery and racism. But I didn't realize those who want to understand already do and those who don't want to understand never will.

I just wish those who build up a wall would understand it's not about increasing racial finger pointing, it's about increasing human empathy.

If ROOTS and AMISTAD didn't do that, nothing will.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

If ROOTS and AMISTAD didn't do that, nothing will.

I wasn't impressed much by Amistad.

It definitely was no Schindler's List which 12 Years A Slave is getting compared to.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

All the IMDB posts are basically dismissing the movie's existence with this mindset.

I wouldn't expect anything more from IMBD.

That place is troll central.

 

[Bruce Malone]

Probably hard to compare but how would you compare fassbender in his role to Leo as Mr.Candy in Django? He was being described in semi-similar terms to what fassbender seems to be in his role now.

 

[Hurm...]

Probably hard to compare but how would you compare fassbender in his role to Leo as Mr.Candy in Django? He was being described in semi-similar terms to what fassbender seems to be in his role now.

I love Leo as Candy, but Candy is far more of a caricature, a cartoon, of a real person - as is many of Quentin Tarantino's characters. The two films are incomparable, and I find that Fassbender's character is far too "real" to be compared to Tarantino's character.

 

[DACrowe]

Best movie of the year.

 

[Hyde]

So this is rated R, right?

 

[Octoberist]

Yes it is.

And it's a powerful movie. It's a hard watch but I would say it's probably one important films of this generation.

 

[jacobed]

I want to see this badly but with theater prices so high, movies like this have to wait til blu ray. It looks so damn good

 

[weezerspider]

12 Years A Slave is somewhat like when Bob Dylan went electric. The term 'sold-out' is often spoken unfairly, but Steve McQueen, director of such raw, brutal films such as HUNGER and SHAME, has scaled back his most artistic qualities in favor of mass appeal in 12 Years A Slave. McQueen has shown starving, naked men beat and tortured in HUNGER. He showed the raw, emotional draining life of a sex addict in SHAME. Now, for 12 Years A Slave, when he has a story to unleash these raw emotional feats on a story most deserving of it, McQueen scales back. Whether it was for mass appeal, Academy Award recognition, or the Producer's demands, McQueen's new timid nature on 'Slave' robs a story that could have been as brutal and eye-opening as 'Schindler's List'. Instead, its actually pretty glossy and very safe.

I keep reading reviews at how this film is brutal to the point of being unable to view. There is one beating that is brutal, but nothing comes close to Schindler's List, The Passion Of The Christ, Saving Private Ryan, or even McQueen's first two films. '12 Years A Slave' could have taken the brutality of slavery and shown it more so than we've ever seen before and really been a history lesson at the brutality and evil of mankind's past. Instead, its just like any other oppression story. Quentin Tarantino did a much better job of showing the brutality of slavery in 'Django Unchained'. Its a testament to Tarantino as a director, that he was able to provide a real artistic statement about the subject in a somewhat comical live-action cartoon, because really that's all 'Django' is(which is perfectly amazing). McQueen, known for going balls to the wall, becomes more of an eunuch, losing his balls and delivering a very timid slave story, aside from two scenes. The film is a cookie-cutter award bait film. McQueen is a good director who got an incredible cast, so the film still survives, and even flourishes at moments, but its frustrating wondering what might have been.

'12 Years A Slave' tells the story of a black man, Solomon Northup, born free in the North during the 1800's. He is tricked, drugged, captured and taken to the south to be sold as a slave. The narrative follow Solomon and his agonizing journey from owner to owner, until finally being re-united with his family. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a fantastic performance as Solomon, which really helps the film work in many ways. The screenplay is written to focus on the physical torment of Solomon, and as I said Mcqueen scaled back his agonizing brutality on screen, so the audience doesn't really feel Solomon's torment based on the script alone. Ejiofor's strong performance helps sell Solomon's torment to the audience, which is a huge key to the film, because little of the script was focused on the psychological torment of Solomon and the psychological aspects of his character. This could be said for the whole cast, who is wonderful. The cast really sells the film. Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender standout as slave owners, the former being mor sympathetic to Solomon, the latter stepping straight out of hell. Fassbender is the greatest accomplishment in the film, giving us an incredible villain that works mostly due to Fassbender.

The screenplay doesn't build the characters very well. Luckily, as stated earlier, the actors save this. However, the screenplay has other issues. The biggest is it's episodic nature. The twelve years flows quickly without much explanation of timing and makes us feel like we're watching events that are somewhat relate-able instead of watching one story. Again, this is somewhat saved by a good director and a great cast which makes many of these events incredibly engaging. The events are not helped by an awful score, which never plays with the audience's emotions.

Despite all of this, the film still mainly works, even if it is much more generic than what's expected from McQueen. The film is pretty much a mountain range, who's lows aren't awful, but simply somewhat dull, but it's highs are outstanding and rather impressive. Ultimately, this comes down to the director Steve McQueen. He goes to his roots of raw, agonizing filmmaking in the film's climax and it works wonders. For whatever reason, he holds this back throughout the rest of the film. He takes a great cast and a weak script, and pieces together a solid film that has a few incredible moments, even if its potential was greatly missed. 8/10

 

[Zeus]

I like the Schindler's List comparison...It will have that sort of impact

 

[Bim]

I cant wait to see this one.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Just came from seeing this with my younger cousin A.J. I find it hard to believe that this does not reap Best Picture, Best Director for Mcqueen, Best Adapted Screenplay for Ridley, Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor for Chiwetel. What they and the production team behind this film (Props to Pitt for helping bring this to the screen) have done is to bring a terrible human tragedy to life for all to see. And no matter your race, I have a hard time believing, though I know I am wrong, that anyone could not empathize with Solomon Northrop's story. The matter of fact way that Mcqeen presents this story only enhances it's power. The way Mcqueen uses close ups and framing to allow the actors to simply be the characters, in the moment worked, to magnificent effect. There is little pulling of the heartstrings or emotional manipulation. The tale of this man alone suffices. One could say the best thing about the Directors approach is how much he could have done but did not. This extends to Hans Zimmer's score which never even tries to hand the audience emotional cues. Yet, this film still had me in it's thrawl, with tears streaking my face by it's climax. It was an emotionally draining experience to be sure and it's not easy to see the violence inflicted on characters throughout. But it is a story worth seeing.

 

[Golgo-13]

I want to see this.

 

[the last son]

I want to see this badly but with theater prices so high, movies like this have to wait til blu ray. It looks so damn good

Same boat. I go to one or two movies a year. It can be 12 bucks a ticket sometimes. I can't pay that. I'll wait to see it.


How was Zimmer's score?

 

[Thundercrack85]

I've met a lot of Southerners who... I wouldn't say deny slavery (like holocaust denial), but they really downplay the horrors of slavery.

Actually, funny (or sad, really) anecdote: one Southerner I spoke to not too long ago, said he never realized how bad slavery was - until he saw Django Unchained.

 

[roach]

I've met a lot of Southerners who... I wouldn't say deny slavery (like holocaust denial), but they really downplay the horrors of slavery.

Actually, funny (or sad, really) anecdote: one Southerner I spoke to not too long ago, said he never realized how bad slavery was - until he saw Django Unchained.

Because we don't talk about it the way we need to. Most people think slaves got treated like the outside dog. It's glossed over in school and their are very few movies and TV shows about it.

 

[terry78]

It's an uncomfortable topic. While people are quick to say they had nothing to do with it, if your great grandfather was known for basically torturing another person, I'd probably wanna downplay it myself.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

I just saw this movie tonight and man is it a gut wrenching, disturbing, powerful film. As a African American, watching this movie brought up feelings of anger, shock, and sadness. The cast was spot on all around, not a single bad performance. The score was also very good and chilling. This is easily one of the best films this year, and the best film ever to depict the horror of slavery in the United States. Even though this movie was great, I have no deserve to ever see it again as it definitely not feel good movie. Like I said, it's very uncomfortable to watch so if you are easily upset with violence and disturbing imagery this make not be the movie for you.


Solomon is one of the strongest people in american history. His book should be given more recognition. He brought to life the horrors and injustice that thousands ( my ancestors included) endured. I think salvery hasn't been depicted in film this way because it envokes white shame and people would rather forget it happened ( don't mean to be offensive). Anyone that try's to downplay slavery needs to see this movie and they will change their tune.

10/10

 

[Zeus]

There were alot of people like Solomon, he just made his story heard.

This is Schindler's List of slavery...It will for sure win 6+ oscars including best picture, best supporting, best adapted screenplay.

Very likely Best Director too...But its a two person race with him and Cuaron

 

[Schlosser85]

I've read some reviews comparing both this movie to Schindler's List (as far as impact and how it conveys the horrors, not the story details, obviously), and specifically likening Fassbender's character to Ralph Fiennes in SL.