January: Film Of The Month

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Director: Steve McQueen

Writers: John Ridley, Solomon Northup

Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor,Michael Fassbender

 

12 Years A Slave tells the extraordinary tale of Solomon Northup’s hapless descent into the murky depths of slavery and serfdom from the comparative utopia of his previously free north. Northup’s world collapses into the punishing nightmare of an oppressive South where his education and wits are reduced to mere survivalist virtues, whilst his liberties turn to labour, all that he has loved has been lost and life languishes in the cotton fields where only the soulful sound of negro spirituals offer any evidence that the condemned have anything to live for.

Charged with bringing Northup’s tale to a cinematic life is Chiwetel Ejiofor whose performance is nothing less than gigantic, his face is a constant state of perplexed anger that serves to mask his inner fear at the terror unfolding around him, as he is tricked by an ostensive pair of newly acquainted business partners into his impending oblivion. Ejiofor’s voice, a towering blend of majesty and verse like delivery in an obscure way offers faintest of hope to not only him but those around him and we who watch on helplessly at the horror.

Director Steve McQueen’s fragmentation of the narrative reflects Northup’s state of mind continuingly finding poignancies in his free past as in his stricken future where we encounter the likes of Michael Fassbender’s colossally cruel slave owner Epps. Epps is a puzzling, paradox of a man  who becomes Northup’s would be nemesis, lusting for negro flesh be it on the tip of his punitive whipping sessions or his furtive desire fuelled endeavours with his favourite cotton picker Patsey played by Lupita Nyong'o who only exists it seems to be broken, either by Epps or the unbearable heft of despair.

12 Years’ has the power, sense of enormity and personal involvement of Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, is equally painful to watch yet necessary to see, which in itself gives McQueen and all involved the high praise it deserves.

10/10