Absolutely Fantastic

A Masterpiece!

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

'12 Years A Salve' is a harrowing, yet brilliantly made film, that shakes it's viewers to the core. Screenwriter John Ridley adapts the real-life story of Solomon Northup in the most emotional and brutal way possible and has an effect on the audience in ways no other movie has. The story alone, movie or not, is something worth of praise and fortunately director Steven McQueen adapted it for the screen in the authentic and raw manner that it needed to be shown in. Leading actor Chiwetel Ejiofor immerses himself into the role of Solomon Northup exceptionally, and is supported by a talented cast all round, the standouts being Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o and Sarah Paulson. Nyong'o, in particular, steals every single scene she is in and is well-deserving of her Academy Award that she received for this role. Hans Zimmer's soundtrack is also a standout in the film and contributes greatly to the emotional aspect of the film, and the overall atmosphere. While I've seen a lot of emotional and heart-wrenching films in my lifetime, I have never been so emotionally affected by this film. Every aspect of this film contributes to the overall greatness of this film that portrays the atrocities of the U.S. slave industry in a way that's never been done before. I never thought I'd cry from a movie, but '12 Years A Slave' has proved me wrong.

12 Years A Slave is an remarkable true story that tells the life of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a free African American who lived in Saratoga, New York with his wife and two children. After he was convinced to travel to Washington for two weeks to work with two musicians who promised him work, he was drugged, chained, beaten, and stripped of his identity. He was then given the name Platt and sold into slavery in the deep south. Throughout his twelve years as a slave, he was owned by two men, Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) who treated him in diverse ways. Ford was a civil master who treated Solomon with kindness but was forced to sell him to Edwin Apps due to a violent situation that occurred between Solomon and one of the plantation managers who was jealous of his intelligence. This violent situation caused Solomon to live through fair during the remainder of his time as a slave. Considering that this occurred during the pre-civil times in the United States, it is obvious to see that the film is based on slavery along with self-entitlement and self-gain. Justice was wrongly served to Solomon and even though his first master (Ford) was aware of this, he only cared to cover his debts and the investment that he had put into purchasing Solomon as a slave. The film easily maintained a repetitive theme of individuals who understood that what they were doing was wrong, but they did not care to correct it due to society and the current circumstances. A key example of this is shown when Solomon was bribed to travel with two men who promised to pay him for his performance, but instead, they drugged and sold him as a slave. Another film that represents the key elements of this theme is Selma as it also covers the roles of whites, whether it be as slave-owners or segregationist. Selma also focuses on the cruelty and violence against African Americans. Overall, 12 Years A Slave is a great film and the director used great techniques to capture the horror that Solomon Northup encountered as a slave. Two great techniques that were used included the quality of images along with the angles and lighting. An example of this included the candlelight that was illuminating in the dark which resembled a time when Solomon was struggling with his sanity. Great angles were used to capture his emotions and the fear that he felt as he lived his life as a slave. Though Solomon struggled to survive due to the cruelty and hardships that he faced, through faith, and the willpower to survive, he managed to endure his twelve years as a slave.

With many fine actors, a remarkable subject matter and the number of accolades it received, '12 Years a Slave' was watched by me with high expectations.For me, '12 Years a Slave' is not quite as good as the hype and isn't one of my favourite Best Picture winners. It could have been truly extraordinary, but it wasn't quite despite having individual elements that were that adjective. Can see though why it has been so well received, while also seeing where those who didn't like it are coming from in their reservations (though not sharing the vitriolic way they've been expressed by some). It may not be perfect, but from personal opinion, and quite a big number of others, it was tremendously powerful and very brave,'12 Years A Slave' may have some one-sided and conveniently black and white characterisation. It may not say anything new about the subject. Some of the cast, like Paul Giamatti and Benedict Cumberbatch (though they are excellent still), are underused. And Brad Pitt and his dialogue did feel out of place and the dialogue additionally coming over as heavy-handed. On the other hand, to tell the story from the viewpoint of the enslaved was a brave decision in an industry where few films have done it, and it comes over very well on the whole. The treatment of the slaves is not for the faint-hearted, they are shockingly harrowing and not comfortable to watch but they don't feel that gratuitous. There are some emotionally devastating moments, such as the ending and the long shot of Northup singing.Steve McQueen was the right director for the film, a film that needed to be told in a brutal and honest way and being a director with that directing style McQueen brings that out perfectly in a bravura directing job. '12 Years a Slave' is very impressive visually and technically, and Hans Zimmer's score is suitably stirring.John Ridley's script adapts Northup's memoir with tautness, honesty and sincerity, not subtly mind you but it's not a subtle subject. It only falters with Pitt's dialogue. The acting is superb, with Chiwetel Ejiofor's powerfully restrained and sincere performance wholly deserving of its acclaim. Lupita N'Yong'o, very moving, and Michael Fassbender, at his most frightening, are more than up to his level, as are Sarah Paulson and Paul Dano. Overall, extraordinary it isn't but an emotionally impactful film it certainly is. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I really enjoyed this movie. It was raw, real, and very moving. The actors were very emotional which made it easy to get into.