Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano
Director: Steve McQueen
Rating: 5/5
I had the chance to see 12 Years A Slave during the BFI London Film Festival at the end of last year... it has a movie that has truly stayed with me.
12 Years A Slave is one of the most powerful movies that I have seen in a long time, and it really does live up to the hype that has been surrounding it.
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.
Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender) as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity.
In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Pitt) forever alters his life.
Steve McQueen is a filmmaker who has already caught everyone's attention with Hunger and Shame, but 12 Years A Slave is nothing short of a masterpiece.
McQueen is a director who is not afraid to shy away from the truth - believe me when I tell you this is not an airy-fairy Hollywood take on slavery.
12 Years A Slave is grim, brutal, powerful, and relentless film, and yet it is a movie that is totally necessary and has to be seen.
Chiwetel Ejiofor takes on the central role of Solomon and delivers a performance that is set to change the direction of his career.
Ejiofor has been doing great work on the big and small screen for many years, but this is the film that really shows off the best of him as an actor.
It is a totally devastating performance as Ejiofor as he truly disappears into this character.
Yet, Northup is a man who never loses his faith, making this a movie that is as much about the strength of the human spirit as it is about slavery.
Michael Fassbender also gives a towering performance as plantation owner Epps. Fassbender has given some wonderful turns in recent years, but this is him at his very best.
Fassbender brings a ruthlessness, brutality, and evil to this role that is incredibly hard to shake after the credits have rolled.
I would love to see both Ejiofor and Fassbender recognised and rewarded for their tremendous work during the awards season.
12 Years A Slave is a visceral piece of filmmaking that is a true assault on all of the senses. It is simply a remarkable movie.
12 Years A Slave is released 10th January.
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