Tuesday, October 22, 2013

12 Years a Slave (2013)

12 Years a Slave is based on the autobiography of the same name by Solomon Northup who was a free black man but was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film reiterates the same themes that previous films about slavery has tackled but McQueen’s approach to it intensifies the reality of the situation by holding a mirror to the public to present that Solomon’s situation could happen to anyone. With an A-list assemble; every actor firmly challenges their roles with such complexity and dimension that gives the “old” story of slavery a more in-depth and intricate look than the usual black and white take (pun intended). 12 Years a slave is a suffocating and harrowing representation of the humanistic pilgrimage of survival that will leave you huffing and puffing with melancholy long after the ending credits. A