"The Birth of A Nation" (2016) Review

DISCLAIMER: The Birth of a Nation is NOT a remake of D.W. Griffith's 1915 film of the same name which chronicles the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the American South. This new film seeks to reclaim that title and create a dialogue about racial issues both in popular culture and in our society at large.

Nate Parker writes, directs, produces and stars in this film about the Nat Turner rebellion which came to a head in 1831 in Southampton County, Virginia.

Nat (Parker), a literate slave and preacher, tours around the county with his cash-strapped owner Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer) using God's word to quell anxious slaves at other plantations for pay. While on the tour, Nat witnesses atrocities committed against other slaves in the county. Upon returning home, tensions on the Turner plantation start running high and beget heinous acts committed against Nat's family and friends. All of this boils over when Nat believes he has been called by God to lead his fellow slaves in a violent rebellion against their white masters.

This story represents a remarkable piece of history which deserves to be told as accurately and as viscerally as possible. Luckily, Parker's hands aren't covered with kid gloves. His debut feature is an assured one despite a lack of distinctive style. Then again, this story doesn't really need it. This straightforward, no-nonsense approach allows for a greater focus on story and character building and also lends the film a consistent pace. All of this makes for one of this year's most engrossing films. The two-hour run time will have elapsed before you've even taken the time to check your watch.

The Birth of a Nation may draw comparisons to 12 Years a Slave, which won the Oscar for Best Picture a couple years ago. Personally, I found The Birth of a Nation to be a more satisfying picture than 12 Years a Slave. I'm not sure why. The acting is solid, especially by Parker and a scenery-chewing Hammer, but none of the players are on the level of Chiwetel Ejiofor or Lupita Nyong'o. Both films are equally uncompromising in their depiction of slavery. Both are extremely powerful and emotionally resonant for our current cultural climate. I think, perhaps, The Birth of a Nation is a stronger example of narrative economy. Nary a scene feels self-indulgent or out of place. Every moment builds the characters and/or plot. Additionally, Birth's resolution falls in a very bleak place which should encourage discussion about the history behind the film as well as its place in the zeitgeist.

Having seen the film three times, it does not get any easier to take in. The story is so riveting and so focused in its execution that the film's emotional impact never wanes, even with repeat viewings. The Birth of a Nation is quite simply one of the finest and most important films of 2016. It should be required viewing for all moviegoers.

A