Feature | Lights, Camera, Action! – 12 Years a Slave (Movie Review)

12 Years a Slave (UK Rating: 15)

The film is based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black musician living in Saratoga and kidnapped into slavery in the Southern States of America. Initially determined that he will prove his worth and gain his freedom, the combination of time and the brutality of his existence turn that confidence to despair and the likelihood of freedom becomes increasingly unlikely.

Few filmmakers have ever dared to touch the subject of slavery and certainly nobody has approached it in quite the same way as Steve McQueen. Tackling controversial issues in an uncompromising way is his stock in trade, as per Hunger and Shame, and here he stares unblinkingly into the heart of darkness that was slavery. He tells the story as it was, welts and all: there's nothing complicated or fussy about it, just a straightforward simplicity - and it is all the more effective for it.

The audience is gripped from the outset, and once Solomon has been kidnapped, the tension starts to build. It's a tension that never lets up and that's exactly what McQueen wants - for his audience to feel something close to the constant fear and dread that was a fact of life for slaves. Never knowing what would happen next, when the next beating would come, whether they would be sold on tomorrow…or whether they would die in the next moment. It's what causes that deep furrowed frown on Solomon's face. It never goes away, just getting deeper as the film progresses, and it never leaves him, even when he regains his freedom - it's one of his many scars.

There are many moments of violence, humiliation and brutality, but two stand out especially. In one, the sadistic cotton farmer, Epps, forces Solomon to whip Patsey, a female slave and a friend. He tries to minimise her pain and that just makes matters worse. It is heart breaking to watch, and the audience falls totally silent.

Even more striking is the scene when Solomon is punished for defending himself against a manipulative supervisor. He survives a hanging attempt, but is left dangling from the rope with his feet just touching the ground; half-hanging, as it were. Then he is left there for a day, slowly being strangled, with life going on almost unaffected around him. The children play, the white people stand and look at him, but only once does somebody take the risk of giving him a cup of water. The way in which the scene is filmed is beautifully simple - the camera is like a human eye. The viewer's attention is focused solely on the dangling Solomon, but peripheral vision can't help but see everything else happening around him. McQueen lingers on the image as well, making sure that none of the physical or emotional impact is lost.

The power of the film is matched by the power of the performances, especially from Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon, whose sufferings and strength are the heart and soul of the film. It is a heartfelt piece of acting, dignified and truthful, and he's hardly ever off the screen. McQueen's regular collaborator, Michael Fassbender, comes up with the goods yet again, this time as the sadistic, drunken Epps. With a temperament that turns on a knife blade - dependant on how much he's had to drink - his farm is noticeably shabbier than that of his neighbour and his lack of business acumen is reflected in the way he treats his slaves.

10/10

Masterpiece - Platinum Award

12 Years a Slave is a rare film. Shattering in its impact and stunning in its simplicity, it refuses to go away long after the credits have rolled. Scenes run and re-run in the memory and its success both at the box office and award ceremonies means that outrage and shame over its subject matter will last infinitely longer.