12 Years a Slave - Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o

Brutal and undoubtedly unforgettable.

Steve McQueen, director of Shame and Hunger, brings us his next project in 12 Years a Slave; the brutal true story of Solomon Northup (Ejiofor); which is based on the memoirs written by Northup himself in 1853. Solomon Northup is a free man from New York who, in 1841, is kidnapped in Washington, D.C. and sold into slavery by slave-trader Theophilus Freeman (Paul Giamatti). After being shipped to New Orleans, Northup (with his name changed to 'Platt'), is bought by plantation owner William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) and forced to work. The film shows the life that Northup is forced to live during his time as a slave, in almost every harrowing detail.

Steve McQueen is continuing his trend of producing utterly shocking and difficult films to watch with this project, his third feature film. McQueen purposefully does not hide anything in the background, creating characters that will repulse and also characters that leave you in heartbreak, with McQueen sprinkling in wholesome characters where he can. Before the last five minutes I can safely say there is only one part of the 133 minute film that I enjoyed, and that was when Northup gave racist carpenter John Tibeats the beating he deserved. The rest of the film left me motionless in my seat as the brutal and thought-provoking portrayal of pre-emancipation proclamation America was being played before me. The way McQueen used the camera to portray such atrocities that occurred during this period in history brought me into the action in a way that I simply couldn't look away. McQueen shows his artistic background as 12 Years a Slave is visually brilliant with the content being nothing short of eye-opening.

To accompany the career best from the director is the career best from a number of actors including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender. Ejiofor portrays class as a free man and owns the camera superbly throughout a performance that is quite extraordinary. However, Fassbender as the horrendous plantation owner Edwin Epps produces a masterful performance. Before Northup's arrival at Epps' plantation, previous owner William Ford explains that Epps is a fiery and aggressive slave-owner; Ford's words are not close to describing the man portrayed phenomenally by Fassbender. Epps is a drunkard, a rapist and a disturbingly destructive man whose compassion for his 'property' is non-existent. Fassbender gives the performance of his career and in my opinion is one of the leaders in the race for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

On leaving the cinema I felt my eyes had been opened. This is a film that needs to win Oscars, and will. This film should be seen by everyone and if you miss it then it is your own fault. An extraordinary film that will leave you speechless but your mind racing.

J. Henderson.

9/10.