'MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Biographical film based on the life of Nelson Mandela. Idris Elba stars as the anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President. It's based on Mandela's book 'Long Walk To Freedom' and scripted by William Nicholson (who has written or co-written such popular period pieces as 'GLADIATOR', 'SHADOWLANDS', 'ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE' and the 2012 movie adaptation of 'LES MISERABLES'). Justin Chadwick directed the film, he also directed the 2008 historical biography 'THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL'. The movie studies a great man and deals with an important part of history but the subject matter should have lent itself to a much better film!
The movie (like Mandela's book) chronicles Mandela's (Elba) life from childhood until his election as the President of South Africa. It begins with his early years growing up in a remote rural village, tells of his revolutionary days and arrest (as a terrorist) and details his 27 years spent in prison. It of course climaxes with his release from prison and his dealing with the new violence of revolutionaries, which had started a war. It concludes with his inauguration as the first democratically elected South African President. Naomie Harris co-stars as his wife (of 38 years) Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
When the movie premiered in London (on December 5th, 2013) Nelson Mandela's daughters Zindzi and Zenani were in attendance. They were notified during the film, by cell phone, that their father had just passed away and said they did not want the screening to be postponed. It really would have been nice if the movie was a more fitting tribute (and I really wanted to like it) but it's just not nearly inspiring enough. It's long, boring and uninvolving. The length of the film (almost two and a half hours) wouldn't have bothered me if it had felt more eventful. Elba is decent in the lead but he seemed more passionate and inspiring in the monster flick 'PACIFIC RIM' than he did in this! Still the movie is educational and worth watching, it's just disappointing that it's such a missed opportunity for a better film.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAydMPYt0Hs
Biographical film based on the life of Nelson Mandela. Idris Elba stars as the anti-apartheid revolutionary and former South African President. It's based on Mandela's book 'Long Walk To Freedom' and scripted by William Nicholson (who has written or co-written such popular period pieces as 'GLADIATOR', 'SHADOWLANDS', 'ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE' and the 2012 movie adaptation of 'LES MISERABLES'). Justin Chadwick directed the film, he also directed the 2008 historical biography 'THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL'. The movie studies a great man and deals with an important part of history but the subject matter should have lent itself to a much better film!
The movie (like Mandela's book) chronicles Mandela's (Elba) life from childhood until his election as the President of South Africa. It begins with his early years growing up in a remote rural village, tells of his revolutionary days and arrest (as a terrorist) and details his 27 years spent in prison. It of course climaxes with his release from prison and his dealing with the new violence of revolutionaries, which had started a war. It concludes with his inauguration as the first democratically elected South African President. Naomie Harris co-stars as his wife (of 38 years) Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
When the movie premiered in London (on December 5th, 2013) Nelson Mandela's daughters Zindzi and Zenani were in attendance. They were notified during the film, by cell phone, that their father had just passed away and said they did not want the screening to be postponed. It really would have been nice if the movie was a more fitting tribute (and I really wanted to like it) but it's just not nearly inspiring enough. It's long, boring and uninvolving. The length of the film (almost two and a half hours) wouldn't have bothered me if it had felt more eventful. Elba is decent in the lead but he seemed more passionate and inspiring in the monster flick 'PACIFIC RIM' than he did in this! Still the movie is educational and worth watching, it's just disappointing that it's such a missed opportunity for a better film.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAydMPYt0Hs