12 Years a Slave (2013)

Genre: Drama/Biography

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt

Abraham Lincoln has been accredited with the man who managed to abolish slavery in North America. Life for African-Americans prior to Mr.Lincoln's landmark move was filled with torture, forced labour, rape, bondage and were subject to some of the most inhuman acts. Solomon Northup (Ejiofor) was one such African-American man who was born free and became extremely successful as a musician and carpenter. He was offered to work as a musician at a circus and eventually kidnapped and forced to work as a slave in Louisiana. In spite of being a free negro, he was sold and forced into working in fields for 12 years until he could prove his freedom and return to his family. The movie is a true narration of Solomon's life and showcases the inhumanity that once existed on this planet. The entire movie's focus is the hardships that Solomon faced and all his ups and downs and does well in bringing awareness of Solomon's situation. The movie strongly demands attention and patience in order to fully grasp the depth of Solomon's plight and fully appreciate the movie. Chiwetel Ejiofor has put on a performance that is probably his best till date and one that cements his position as a strong mainstream actor and not someone who would sit on the sidelines. He has carried the entire burden of the movie on his shoulders and has done well to deliver. Steve McQueen has been known to direct award winning movies and this movie would be nothing less. Those who are faint-hearted or would not be able to watch the pain, torture and the merciless life of the slaves are best advised to stay away from this. A truly exceptional movie and Ejiofor's performance is more than enough reason to watch and enjoy this one.

Thumbs up: Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance

Thumbs down: A simple life-narration with no other sub-plot to make the movie more interesting.

Rating: 7.8/10