The Birth of a Nation (2016) Review!!!

Synopsis – Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.

My Take – Slavery is a Global issue of many major international countries, but according to history only one county’s existence and wealth is owed entirely to slavery i.e. America. While this Nate Parker directed film may not present a drastically new perspective of slavery that was seen in recent films such as Django: Unchained and 12 Years A Slave, it still prevails as another successful slavery based film, a rare gem of expression which seemed a little constrained to not overly offend the majority of viewers. Making positive headlines at 1^st at the Sundance Film Festival followed by the negative press about Parker‘s rape controversy, this film isn’t a remake or reboot of D.W. Griffith‘s controversial and widely regarded groundbreaking masterpiece, but is instead Nate Parker‘s seemingly ambitious directorial debut, a true story revenge tale about Nate Turner, an African American slave, referred to as “Prophet” by his followers, who led a Slave rebellion comprised of slaves and free blacks in Virginia in 1831, approximately 33 years before the Congressional passage of the 13th amendment and abolishment of slavery in all States. Although flawed and itself biased, the film is a scathing indictment about America’s prejudiced past and present. The key to just about every film that deals with the topic of slavery is presenting a realistic look at the sheer brutality and wickedness that can be associated with it and the film is never afraid to display the gory and at times uncomfortable imagery that was present in the time period. Rarely do first-time directors create the dramatic impact that gifted African-American actor Nate Parker has done with his directorial debut that he also top lined, produced, and co-scripted. The fact that Parker donned so many hats is proof that he is a visionary.

The story follows Nat Turner, a slave boy in the early nineteenth century, who is told by a shaman that due the three moles lined up in a row down the middle of his chest, he is going to grow up to become someone special. Catching the eye of Elizabeth Turner (Penelope Ann Miller), wife of a plantation owner where he resides with his family, Nat is taught to read the bible. A few years later, Nat (Nate Parker) matures and becomes a minister to his downtrodden fellow slaves and eventually comes to acquire a reputation as a “Prophet.” Eventually, his former childhood playmate who now owns the plantation, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accompanies Nat on a circuit of the surrounding plantations. Nat preaches the Baptist gospel to his counterparts. Actually, Samuel’s fellow slave owners believed that Nat’s sermons might stifle the fierce rebellious spirit of their slaves that they cannot cure with their whips. Initially, Samuel sympathizes deeply with Nat, and even buys slave girl, Cherry (Aja Naomi King), Nate’s future wife, upon his insistence, but due to his poor financial status doesn’t respond to the unsavory practices of his fellow slave owners. Everything changes drastically when Nat witnesses an atrocity perpetrated by a slave owner on a slave who has gone on a hunger strike. Wielding hammer and chisel, the callous slave owner knocks out the slave’s front teeth and then force-feeds the man with a funnel shoved down his gullet. Later, Nat turns radical himself after Raymond Cobb (Jackie Earle Haley), the same man who may have also killed Nate’s father, along with this two white companions rape and nearly beat his wife to the brink of death. Nat assembles his fellow slaves and awaits a sign from God before he pits them against their masters. A solar eclipse incites Nat to mobilize his minions, beginning with slaughtering Samuel in cold blood with a hatchet, as he & his followers embark on an abortive 48-hour rampage that claimed the deaths of 60 whites and more than 200 blacks. As far as the film goes, it’s amazing to watch it and see how many intentional and probably unintentional things it has in common with the other slave based films. This film is a unique expression from the eyes of a descendant of slaves, and not from the typical Hollywood eyes of the descendant of slave-holders, slave-transporter, slave ship owner, slave auctioneers, pacifists. It gives detailed insight into the state of being where negotiation is impossible and the only option left available in dealing with an uncivilized and psychopathic oppressor is, revolution. This film here is a rather remarkable achievement for Parker who not only served the lead role but also as writer and director. He’s certainly the force behind this picture and there’s no question that he deserves a lot of credit for getting it made. The film works remarkably well as a character driven narrative because the Turner character was certainly an interesting one and seeing his story play out is full of heartache and drama. I liked that the film didn’t drag on with minute details like ‘12 years a slave’. There were a lot of moments I felt like crying (when Nat was told that books other than the bible were for “his kind”), angry (when Gabrielle’s character was raped by a visiting slave owner), happy (when Nat married his wife) and sick (a slave’s teeth were hammered out his mouth so he could be force fed).

The actors were outstanding and I really felt Nate Parker was incredible in this role! He really brought the story to life so much I could taste the emotion. This was the first slave film that I seen in the theater (thanks to Dubai Film Festival 2016) because it’s a hard part of American history to deal with, but for some reason this film had my full attention. I liked the fact that he chose not to show the actual rape scenes and that he didn’t show too much blood and guts. I mean we all know that slaves were brutalized in every imaginable way but what really hit me was seeing a slave kill his master. You won’t be able to take your eyes off this enthralling, but inequitable spectacle. Elliot Davis‘ widescreen cinematography endows the film with a sweeping sense of ominous forbidding. The cotton fields, the slave quarters, and the sprawling plantations appear as authentic as possible. Nate Parker directs this film with honesty, emphasizes the major moments with a sweeping score, he captures emotionality with close- ups, and he includes shots for the sake of beauty, whereas the Oscar winning 12 Years a Slave which is no doubt still a better film filled with unrelenting realism, and without hint of sentimentality or cinematic nature. Where the film excels is also in its depiction of Southern discomfort. With many brutal scenes of sadistic violence against the slaves, the manipulation of the narrative has uneasiness in its skewed view of historical details. One thing I do appreciate with Parker‘s direction is that he isn’t afraid to inject some humor. I actually think, within the tone of the film that is brilliant. It isn’t as light as Django Unchained, but there are a couple of moments, a couple of scenes that relieve us of the heavy, draining nature of the film, and nothing is taken away because of it. And yet, despite these welcome decisions by Parker, the film does rely too much on common story telling tropes that we have seen since in better films. From the whipping scenes to the rape scenes, they’ve all been done before. As a revenge film, the fictional Django Unchained had more edge. As a film about a repressed people fighting for freedom, I don’t think this film went anywhere that we haven’t seen before. What we get here is a very conventional story that uses a lot of film clichés (there’s one part that represents a characters fall and rise and came off a lot like a sports film). The transitions of personalities are sloppy and certain story arcs feels rushed at times (especially with Nat’s change of heart). As to expect from any first-time director/writer/producer, they may have trouble balancing so many elements in a film of this magnitude mainly as rest of the film’s characters have a lack of development, and it makes the film really feel like a one-man show. Yet, I can’t deny that a part of me was still impacted by this man’s actions and what he was accomplishing. It’s still well acted and a lot of the shots are just gorgeous. I just feel bad it’s working with a script and editing that does no favors. Nate Parker does deliver a great performance as Nat Turner, and the scenes of him delivering his sermons are some of the best of the film. He is well supported by Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Colman Domingo, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley and Aja Naomi King, who perform wonderfully in their roles, they are believable and honest, even though, and it’s clearly Nate Parker‘s show. On the whole, ‘The Birth of a Nation’ is a competently made drama which despite its flaws remains a strong testament to a subject that is more relevant than ever in current times.