Run Solomon Run

One would think that when it comes to the concept of slavery, that there’s no way to newly shock viewers with the horrors of the Deep South in the 1800s. Yet 12 Years A Slave manages to make the ordeals that the protagonist Solomon Northup witnesses and experiences wincingly real. Perhaps what makes his story so much more painful is the injustice that he suffered – Northup is kidnapped and sold into slavery at the beginning of the film, and then traded like cattle between different masters. McQueen’s long and unrelenting shots when slaves are being violently beaten serve as a reminder that the wounds being inflicted may never heal, and as a viewer it is very hard not to look away. This is not a film that will leave you feeling happy, but  you will be able to appreciate it for the true work of art that you have watched.