Steve McQueen’s ‘12 years a slave’: Rave reviews

In the last 18 months or so there have been two epic films about slavery: ‘Django’ and ‘Lincoln’. Actually that’s not quite true, in fact it couldn’t be further from the truth. The first line should have read in the last 18 months or so there have been two epic films that have loosely used the subject of slavery as their back drop:First, Oscar winning film, ‘Lincoln’ staring Daniel Day-Lewis was the biographical encounter of arguably America’s greatest President Abraham Lincoln.

The film depicts his momentous moment which encapsulates both winning the American Civil War, which was in part about the American South’s right to own enslaved Africans, and winning the vote to officially outlaw slavery. Watching this well-acted three hour film was however, insufferable for one reason: It was a film that encapsulated the good, the bad and the terrible, all white, debating about what should be done with Black people. However, the very people it was about, who felt the horror, held on to their humility and showed great bravery, played only little or no part in the film what so ever.

Secondly, and in sharp contrast, Quentin Tarantino film ‘Django’ did what almost all Tarantino films do: Showcase man’s inhumanity, bravery and absurdness in a blood and guts comic book surreal rollercoaster. From ‘Pulp Fiction’, to ‘inglorious Bastards’ the setting of his films, in these cases Gangsters, Nazism, play a supporting role to Tarantino genre. Django is no different. The fact he used the subject of slavery in such a cavalier, ‘devil may care’ attitude enraged many Black people, not least Director Spike Lee.

But now a Black British Director Steve McQueen, has made a film that is genuinely setting the movie world alight with his brilliant tale: ’12 years a slave’. The film is an historical drama,which follows the life of a free Black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Playing the lead role in the film is the acclaimed British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Last week at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival, the film won the Peoples Choice Award amid talks that in March Oscar nominations are on their way.

Reviews and clips of the film suggest that the film will not be comfortable viewing, although the acting is of the highest quality. Above all, we have a main stream film about the horrors and bravery within slavery, with those enslaved at its centre. It’s perhaps not surprising that it's one of Hollywood’s few Black Directors who has made this movie.

Like Spielberg's 'Schindler's List', '12 years a slave' will not be a walk in the park, but we need these films on so many levels, not least to remind us that African Americans are free from slavery but still not equal. Moreover, from an historical perspective the last time I remember a mass viewed drama about slavery, with Black people at its centre was ‘Roots’, a made--for-TV series back in the 70’s. And that was more than forty years ago.

'12 years a slave' will be out in the UK from March 2nd 2014

Simon Woolley