'The Birth of a Nation' Review

Image from The Daily Beast

By Darian Scalamoni

            This film has a lot of baggage that comes with it. In addition to winning massive awards at festivals earlier in the year, the movie also scored one of the largest distribution deals in festival history. All of these are obvious positives but then the negatives came pouring in. The large negative looming was a rape case against the director and star of the film, Nate Parker who was accused and later acquitted. The massive issue that everyone has though is that the victim of the crime actually committed suicide years later. Parker has been on programs and has not apologized because it was a crime he did not commit. But let’s get to the atual film shall we?

            The Birth of a Nation covers the life of a slave/preacher Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in 1831 against their slave owners. The important thing to know about this movie is just how timely it is. We are currently dealing with a cultural race issue that stems from police officers all around the United States killing African-Americans. This movie continues to bring along the ongoing conversation about racial injustice but the movie is grueling to get through because of how real and authentic the actions of the film represent. It fearlessly tackles the realness that African-Americans faced for decades and it’s led brilliantly by Nate Parker. Not only from an acting standpoint (for which I believe based on what I’ve seen thus far, Parker will be in consideration for a nomination) but also his screenplay in which he had a bold but honest approach.

            The narrative follows Turner, a Virginia-born slave and Baptist preacher who led an uprising that took 60 white lives but later led to the mass killings of 200 blacks in retaliation. The approach and actions of Turner were on a larger scale though as they had implications on the Civil War three decades later (which we see later in the film). The movie immediately engages as we observe Nat’s life from childhood all the way to his death.

            Turner learns to read at a very young age and is able to play with the young slave owner’s son, Samuel upon meeting Samuel’s mother, Elizabeth, played by Penelope Ann Miller who encourages Nat to learn the gospel of the lord by giving him a Bible. Years later, though Nat had picked cotton alongside his family in the fields, is a fantastic preacher and he has built a rapport with his master, a now grown up Samuel, played by Armie Hammer, to persuade him to buy a young slave named Cherry, played by Aja Naomi King. It’s clear that Nat has an affection for the young woman upon seeing her for the first time and it’s not long before they marry and have a daughter. From there it seems like all is going well for Nat and his new family but of course, the worst occurs. The menace of the times leads to awful treatment for Nat’s wife from a familiar face, the cruel Raymond Cobb, played by a terrifying Jackie Earle Haley. I don’t want to get into too much detail but what happens leads Turner to begin to have thoughts of revolting.

            The big negative I have with this film though is just how reliant the movie is on the brutality of everyone throughout. In films like 12 Years a Slave and Selma, it’s not used so much as to move the movie along but it’s weaved into the story to further add to the story. In Birth of a Nation, it seems as if a lot of the time, Parker uses the brutish violent sequences in a way to have the audience forced into feeling a certain way. Another negative of the movie is very one-note, black and white as well. There is the way of the slaves and the way of the brutal slave owners. There always should be a sort-of middle ground within in a story like this but a good example is the relationship between Samuel and Nat. It seems that they’re as civil as can be for a slave/owner relationship, even to the fact that within the film Samuel protects Nat and then within the flip of a switch, Samuel freaks out on Nat in a drunken rage and turns on someone that used to be a friend. This could be confusing to the audience that sees a complete 180 from a character that is developed from the beginning of the film.

            The Birth of a Nation covers a time period in history that is extremely important but other than superb acting from tremendous cast and sweeping cinematography there isn’t much to put it within the same vein as other great historical films that cover race in America. The film is more than solid because it does bring certain symbolism to the forefront that affects the audience in ways that can’t be unseen but the overall brutality can lead to a depressive watch for any viewer. It’s a movie that can be viewed as overrated based on the reaction it got at festivals because though it is a good film, it’s not one that you need to rush to the theater to see. Overall, the movie was not what I had hoped for based on other critical responses and the fantastic trailers when The Birth of a Nation is just a good film that could’ve been executed better. A good first effort though for a first time director like Nate Parker.

7.3/10