12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave

Overall rating: 4 stars

What will probably turn out to be director Steve McQueen's pièce de résistance,12 Years a Slave is a savage, harrowing true story, reminding us that such cruelty and vile discrimination wasn't actually so long ago, with strong performances from an established cast.

Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man, accomplished carpenter and fiddler in 1800s New York is lured into slavery, after being told he was joining a lucrative tour with a circus. He's sold on from a reasonably benign master (Benedict Cumberbatch) to a rampant racist (Michael Fassbender) after a violent conflict with a fellow carpenter. A world of abuse, profanity and obscenity follows, with Northup's life growing increasingly difficult to endure.

I try not to spoil the ending in these reviews, as I hate the ending being spoiled myself, but the final act of 12 Years a Slave was  in my opinion the most affecting - blending the abject misery of slavery with a very personal touch. McQueen is clearly assured in his intentions - immersing us in a hideous world with wrenching emotion thrown in too. Much of this comes on the strength of the performances with Chiwetel Ejiofor (a name I've finally learned how to spell), Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyongo'o almost certain locks for Oscar noms (although I can only see Ejiofor winning, judging by the strength of some of the performances in the supporting categories this year - yes, looking at you Jennifer Lawrence and Jared Leto). There's a surprisng amount of star power, with the aforementioned Fassbender and Cumberbatch, as well as Brad Pitt too.

The horrifying poster above demonstrates what 12 Years is about - it's shameful that us, the human race - so often high and mighty about our treatment of equality , could let such an event happen, something so despicable and unbelievable. Simply, it's a story that has to be told (and not forgotten). At times, my moral strength broke - I flinched and averted my eyes: the whipping, the rape and the abhorrent conditions. It's terrifyingly poignant and true to life. The little music used is extremely effective, as well as the incredible production design.

It's hard to emphasise how appalling parts parts of this feature are. For the sheer shock and awe factor, this feature is marvellous - Steve McQueen has created a raw and disturbing look at the life of a slave.

Magnificent though it is (I think, although I don't want, it to win Best Picture), 12 Years a Slave reminds me of the similarly masterful Citizen Kane. On paper it is excellent, but (borrowing a concept from Empire) I don't think I could ever call this film a friend. It's not something I feel I could ever call my favourite film, instead it's something I'm obliged to respect and admire - not something I could love. It may not be a friend, but the entire thing feels sadly necessary. This generation needs to be educated on the horrors we have committed and that's what McQueen's epic venture is about. Period.