In a time when cinema is inundated with films like Avengers Assemble, Free Birds and The Wolfpack Trilogy, it's easy to forget sometimes that some films are meant to evoke. Hit you hard, make you think and make you feel. 12 Years A Slave, based on the true story of a black man living in the 1800's is that, and then some.
Even before I knew the premise of 12 Years A Slave, knowing that director Steve McQueen was involved in the project, I was convinced it would be something worthy of buzz. His two previous films Hunger and Shame weren't afraid of focussing on contents that are often regarded as taboo in the film industry. Hunger centred around a young man in a Northern Irish prison leading a hunger strike, and with similarly gritty subject-matter, Shame details the life of a sex addict and his emotionally unstable sister who ends up living with him.
His third directorial piece is no exception as it depicts the heart-breaking true story of Solomon Northup, adapted straight from his memoirs, by screenwriter John Ridley. The story of a born-free educated carpenter and musician, peacefully living in New York with his family, when he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the south. With his clothes and identity stripped, he moved from plantation to plantation, between two very differently-minded slavers desperately clinging onto his dignity and hope that one day, he will return to his wife and children.
Despite being expectant of disturbing sequences, 12 Years A Slave really does have some shocking, brutal scenes that will leave you feeling almost sick. It's known that McQueen doesn't shy away from pushing cinematic boundaries and going just past the point of that which would be considered "acceptable", and this movie is no exception. You will wince, you will gasp, you will cry, but at no point do you feel like you're watching violence for violence sake. It's so carefully constructed that it's clear none of it is gratituous and put in merely for show. It was the truth; that's what happened, and you NEVER forget that fact for the film's complete running time.
It's this flawless treatment that really cements McQueen as one of the best directors on screen today. It may seem a bold statement but his ability to mix shock tactics and subtlety so effortlessly IS something to be marvelled at. Accompanied by award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, there was no way this film couldn't be anything less than remarkably moving.
To merely say that this cast is a star-studded one would be an unfair detriment to the sheer talent that this group of actors possess. Despite having impressive credits against his filmography, leading man Chiwetel Ejiofor would be relatively unknown to non-UK audiences but gives an unbelievable performance as a man robbed of his freedom. His ability to emote both desperation and hope simultaneously is a skill that not many actors would be able to exhibit, and he appears to do it effortlessly. The thought that Ejiofor was hesitant to take on this role is unbelievable after seeing how perfectly he brings every emotion behind Solomon's misfortune to life.
Even though McQueen defies having a distinctive style, 12 Years possesses some of his consistent tropes seen in his past films. The lingering close-up, devoid of dialogue is something he employs in Hunger, Shame AND 12 Years A Slave, a method so trusting of the actor's talents that it could fail easily, but Ejiofor works with the technique beautifully. In fact, some of the movie's most powerful, real moments are when you're simply looking at Ejiofor's face. In places, the piece feels so harrowingly real, you do almost forget you're watching a film.
Benedict Cumberbatch has had a note-worthy year in cinema starring in Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate and The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug and his performance in this, albeit quite brief is proof that the actor is worthy of such success. His character Ford is probably one of the most complex of the film; a seemingly compassionate slaver. One in which the audience can't help but like as he praises Solomon, rewards him with his own fiddle and even saves his life, but he IS a slaver, and you somehow can't forgive him for that fact. It's evident from the way that Cumberbatch portrays him that this is a man burdened by his social standing and whilst he's likeable for clearly disliking his standing of power, he doesn't do anything to protest it either.
Earning him an Oscar nomination for 'Best Supporting Actor', Michael Fassbender's role is much more black and white. Even before his character appears on screen, he is described by Ford as "a hard man who prides himself in being a nigger-breaker" so when Edwin Epps finally presents himself to us, violently punishing the slaves that do not pick a satisfactory amount of cotton in his vast fields, we are hardly surprised. It can never be easy playing a role that you know people will hate, but Fassbender holds absolutely nothing back, so evidently dedicated to the accuracy of the story-telling. With every scene he becomes increasingly vile, constantly sparring with Solomon for his underlying defiance and sexually abusing a younger, female slave. There is not a flicker of a redeeming quality about Epps, and Fassbender's talents bare the burden of a character so dark, not even the label of a "villain" would suffice.
After winning 'Best Picture' at last week's Golden Globes, there's no question that 12 Years will be one to beat at the Oscars. There's something quite wondrous that a film about such a sensitive subject which tackles segregation, prejudice and racism, could commemorate McQueen as the first black director to every win an Oscar in the Best category. And it couldn't be more warranted. True stories always do fare well at award seasons, but true stories steeped in this much American history and controversy are even more of a powerful contender in the Academy Award stakes. Just look at Monster, The Blind Side, even Lincoln! But regardless of the story, this is a film that has been truly remarkably-made and deserves every single recognition that is, inevitably, coming it's way.
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