WARNING: Spoilers ahead. Critical Review, but read on with caution.

Based on a true story and a recent Oscar nomination, “12 Years a Slave” is a high intensity and real-life depiction of slavery from the standpoint of Solomon Northrup. I highly recommend to every person above the age of 19 due to the brutal depiction of slave life, the depth behind the thoughts and treatment of the slaves, and being able to see the construct of slavery itself.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Solomon Northrup in the film, gives the most riveting performance of his career. Ejiofor chronicles the life of Northrup and visibly shows the physical and mental changes that a free-born African American male would have gone through once sold into slavery. It happened more often than the common folk would think. He portrays the traits of a “free man” at the beginning of the film by having a family, holding a job, and being able to walk the streets freely but as the film progresses, the audience can see him begin to crumble under the pressure of the white man. At the same time, however, he continues to show the strength, humility, and resilience of a human being by fighting back against his oppressors and using his intelligence and education to keep himself alive to get back to his family. One of the quotes he uses in the film is “I don’t want to survive. I want to live!” and Ejiofor shows throughout the film that all human beings have a right to live and not just survive.

This leads to my point about the depiction of slavery through the eyes and life of Solomon Northrup. Steve McQueen, who also directed the films “Hunger” and “Shame”, has always done a remarkable job of depicting the reality behind whatever world he is intending to expose. This time around McQueen set his sights on the world of slavery with his cinematic adaption of the book “12 Years a Slave.” McQueen does a phenomenal job showing the brutality and conditions that a slave faces. His brilliance shines through in many scenes throughout the movie.

One scene shows the treatment of a slave, after that slave rebels, by an overseer when the slave owner is not present on the land. The scene seems to last forever but is only on the screen for about four minutes.

Another scene portrays a master who feels betrayed by a slave with whom he has been having relations. The result is the same one that most people traditionally associate with slavery in the southern states, whipping. The audience can hear and see the slave screaming and crying out throughout the entire scene.

McQueen puts forward his best directorial piece with “12 Years A Slave.” The movie is R rated, therefore I still caution those under 19 to view this film. The content within is definitely geared towards an older, more mature audience with an understanding of the events that actually took place in the southern states during the time of slavery. This film gives the accurate look into slavery. Clearly the crew took their time and did their research to make this as accurate as possible. The film is currently up for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture. I give this film a rating of 9.6 for the cinematography, adaption from the novel, incredible acting, and the accurately directed account of slavery from the standpoint of a free man sold into slavery.