Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

This film is based on Mandela'a autobiography but the movie itself doesn't feel autobiographical. Nelson Mandela's story is widely known but what we want to know more about is the change that occurred inside this man over the years. We know that he came out of prison ready to forgive and reconcile but how did he arrive at that? Despite not fully answering these questions, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" was still enjoyable. I like historical films but the major flaw of this show is something that cannot be helped: it is hard to portray the life of a man who seems larger than life itself.

There are a few historical inaccuracies in this show but because I am mostly unfamiliar with the life of Nelson Mandela, I can overlook them. I like the opening trial scene because it shows Mandela's strength as a lawyer. He is established as a just man. He fights only after being attacked. I like our introduction to what would become one of the most famous prison cells in the world. It looks generic but we as audience members know differently. Many of the locations in the movie look real, such as Madiba's home in Soweto and this jail cell, and may be the actual locations but I have not be able to confirm that. I learned a lot of things from this show for which I am grateful. I had thought that Mandela was on Robben Island for his entire incarceration. One part of the movie that made me happy was his relationship with those guarding him and his improving conditions while in captivity. On Robben Island, he was abused. As time goes by, the abuse dies down. Once we come to Victor Verster Prison, the guards are eating alongside Mandela's large family. His power as a human being is what causes this change and indirectly leads to his release. I love the second use of the line, "Does somebody want me?" It is a good moment in the show. The portrayal of his televised address at the end of the movie however could have been handled better. It almost seems as though Mandela is taking this peaceful approach because it is the only way to win. His sense of the forgiveness becomes less genuine in the film as a result. In real life, Mandela was preaching non-violence ever since his release. By having him do it for the first time publically in this speech in the movie, he comes across as doing it out of necessity rather than out of the true spirit of forgiveness. We all know that Madiba was honest in his appeals for reconciliation but the film is less apparent about that. I think what would have made this movie better is if we got to see inside this leader and the emotional change he undergoes.

Idris Elba's performance was very good. He got so many things right but unfortunately, Elba doesn't look like Nelson Mandela post-1990. In my opinion, Morgan Freeman's performance of Mandela was better and Elba was more enjoyable to watch in the "Thor" movies. The makeup in this movie was quite good. I have seen quite a few racism-related films in 2013 and you can organize them along a feel-good/feel-sorry spectrum. An example of a feel-good movie is "42" and an example of a film at the other end of the spectrum would be "The Butler". "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" falls into the middle of the spectrum alongside "12 Years a Slave". Just for the record, I like all those other movies a little more because of the acting. As further comparison, Clint Eastwood's "Invictus" was better because the focus of the movie was less on Mandela and more on the power of sport as well as Mandela's relationship with Francois Pienaar. By the way, Actor Tony Kgoroge appears in both "Invictus" and this show. U2's song, "Ordinary Love", written specifically for this film won the Golden Globe for Best Song and got an Academy Award nomination but I am so glad that the Oscar was won by "Let It Go".

When Mandela died on December 5, 2013, the world premier for this film was being held in London and most of the audience members were made aware of his passing during the end credits by Elba and producer Anant Singh. It is a shame however that no film can ever truly capture the spirit of Madiba. "Long Walk to Freedom" could have come closer to doing that however if it had offered a better peak into Mandela's soul. The movie had its moments but it provides nothing extremely special in the portrayal of someone extremely special.

3.5 Stars