12 Years A Slave Review

Born in the 'wrong shade' of colour

12 Years A Slave Review – Any movie that says ‘Based on true story’ will tug my heart knowing that the story I’m about to watch is not just a ‘story’ but it’s something that happened in real life to a living person. How I wish this movie was just an imagination instead of true events that occurred years ago because no human, no one should live through such…I have no words to describe it but no living person should ever go through such experience in their life…ever…be it black, white, brown or whatever colour their skin is. Regrettably it did befall on many unfortunate souls back in the 1850’s and the uglier truth is…it’s still happening at this century behind closed doors.

Humanity is lost among coloured people 

The movie is a chronology of events that happened to Solomon Northup (Chiwetel ‘I have no idea how to pronounce his name’ Ejiofor) a black man who can read, write and play the violin living in New York with his wife, daughter and son. Solomon’s talent attracts two travelling illusionists with promise of more wealth which takes him to Washington. Sadly upon a night of drinking with his ‘new employers’, Solomon wakes up the next day as a man who have lost his freedom and ends being sold as a slave. Henceforth begins his journey as a ‘white man’s property’. He is forced to survive working at cotton field, sugar cane plantation, building ‘pondok’, running errands among other things. During his slavery, he witness his fellow black brothers getting tortured to death, worked to death, hanged to death. If you think that’s bad, a black woman’s fate is even worst where they have to work equally if not harder than their male courter part while also survive the brutal lust of their white master! By morning burn under the hot Sun while at night get raped under the dark Moon. Sometime, things get so bad; the thought of killing oneself seems like a better choice than having to live thru the hell on Earth full of racist humans. Heck, I’m not even sure if ‘these’ creatures should be called humans!

Gathered and sold as merchandise 

When I watched ‘The Butler’ earlier this year, I thought Forest Whittaker should be handed the Oscar but now I won’t surprise if Chiwetel Ejiofor beats him to it. His portrayal as Solomon/Platt was simply amazing. Even his eyes could tell you a story, the sorrow, the tiredness, the anger, the disappointment. He is one heck of a talented actor to keep an eye on. Then there was Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps….Murugaaaaa….I felt like chopping him into pieces!!! Ntah apa masalah dia! Treat people like…let’s just say, if I was one of his slaves, dah lama dah hilang dari muka bumi ni! This only meant Fassbender served his purpose showing how cruel people can be. Move over Gabourey Sidibe (of Precious fame in case you forgot) because Lupita Nyong’o will make you cry (in fact she did make me cry…booooohoooo) having to witness her ‘curse’ being born as a black woman called Patsey. Other notable characters were Benedict Cumberbatch (Solomon’s first ‘master’), Paul Giamatti as Freeman. Nama Freeman tapi he is slave trader …bongok tak? and op kos Brad Pitt as handyman Bass (he also produced this movie). One heck of cast if you ask me, kudos to the casting director. 

Cast with the Director 

The movie goes slightly beyond 2 hours mark and if you think you can’t sit through watching innocent people getting tortured and enslaved just imagine ‘their fortune’ just being born in the wrong shade of colour. Just because their skin is darker their whole world becomes dark as well. All others see them is as their ‘property’ to abide their master’s instruction. Sad truth is, even though slavery is pretty much rare during our modern times, there is still poor people taken advantage of their situation. Human trafficking, child prostitution are just some of the ongoing battle we are still fighting to get rid of. Hopefully, one day, humans will ‘look’ beyond the appearance and treat each other with respect and value other person’s feelings. It’s not easy to but it’s not that hard to achieve either don’t you think? 

This movie had deep impact on me.