The Birth of a Nation (2016)

• Acting: 9 
• Dialogue: 6 
• Score(music): 9 
• Cinematography: 10
• Repeatable/Rewatchable: Yes!

Okay, so this movie is about Nat Turner, a slave who led a violent a violent slave rebellion that resulted in the death of around 65 white people. Nat Turner’s story is interesting, because he was a preacher, and claimed that it was visions from God that inspired him to rebel.

This film was good, although the dialogue is a bit shaky and obvious. Also, I think they wasted too much time on the childhood of Nat Turner; I was impatient to get to the part where he’s grown up. The standout actor in this has to be Nate Parker, who also wrote and directed the film. Ambitious. But I think he pulls it off well.

Ignoring the rape scandal surrounding the makers of the film, it’s a pretty solid piece. A bit too gory at some points, but then again the entire slave era was the epitome of gore. The visuals in this film were spectacular. Just look at these screenshots.

That one with the bodies swaying in the wind sends chills down my spine. Then throw on the haunting voice of Nina Simone singing Strange Fruit and you have a scene that will burn its way into your mind and remain there. Southern trees...bearing strange fruit...blood on the leaves