This weekend was a pricey one. The amount of gas it took to drive to the O’Fallon move theatre plus my movie ticket ($10.75), plus my Pink Lemonade slushie ($3.75). My poor wallet was screaming for relief. But as soon as my 7:10 show of “12 Years A Slave” was over, my wallet and I were in pure awe of the beautiful, dramatic film that we had just witnessed and my pricey night was worthwhile.
The Steve McQueen film, “12 Years a Slave,” is based on a true story. The movie tells of a free black man who lives in New York by the name of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is abducted and sold into slavery in the 1840s. He is mistaken for a Georgia runaway slave by the name of “Platt.” Solomon’s dreadful life as a slave for 12 years is told throughout the film as he seeks to regain the freedom he once had.
The movie pulls you into to its vortex right from the start. The opening is a dramatic scene of Solomon and the other slaves on the plantation standing in the warm, grassy fields waiting for instruction from their master. They speak no words, but their facial expressions speak for them. They were tired, agitated and sick.
The use of dramatic scenes and the beautiful vegetation of the southern states play a major role in catching the viewer’s eye. The tall trees mixed with perfect, colorful sunsets and nights add a warm, sentimental touch to the dark, cruel ways of the plantation.
You may think you have the emotional level of a rock, but the acting in this film was so impactful that there’s no possible way you could have sat there the whole 2 hours and 13 minutes without feeling sorrowful. Chiwetel Ejiofor does a phenomenal job in his role as Solomon. From his strong, charismatic voice to his weary facial expressions, Ejiofor makes you want to go back in time to stop slavery yourself. Ejiofor is definitely a prospective Best Actor nominee this year.
If you’re not too good with blood, I would close your eyes. Although the movie was gruesome during certain parts, the cast does a spectacular job of portraying the life that slaves in America once lived. Several beatings and whippings of the slaves were shown. It is a horrifying image but it was the reality of the life of the slaves and any other interpretation would be an injustice to those that actually lived as slaves.
If you’re a history buff, this is the movie for you. If you love how movies add sentimental and dramatic touches to your life, this is the movie for you. This impactful film tugs on your heart strings and can be enjoyed by everybody.