Critic watch Blog#3: 12 Years a Slave

My third and final Critic Watch Blog covers Rex Reed’s review of 12 Years a Slave. I chose this review because Reed gave the film a perfect score of 100. His average lifetime score on Metacritic.com is 53 and he is known to be somewhat of a curmudgeon. Additionally, what is interesting about Reed is the criticism he has subjected himself to within the entertainment industry. From plain discourtesy in his reviews to outright professionalism and personal attacks, Reed is well known.

His description of 12 Years a Slave is beyond dramatic, deeply disconcerting and compelling. Reed mentions director Steve McQueen’s former films and how they parallel the pain and suffering in this film. The detail Reed illustrates multiplies a worst-case-scenario with the fact that this was based on a true story during the darkest period of American history. The disturbing details Reed describes are by far the deepest and most reflective of any of his that I have read so far. He describes deplorable scenes so evil and violent, that he wondered whether he could make it through the film. Reed was the subject of criticism for allegedly walking out of a film, VHS-2, before it was over and complained about parts which occurred after he left.  

This review briefly describes the protagonist Solomon Northup, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, a respected musician and freeman from N.Y. who is kidnapped and forced into slavery. His description builds upon the fact that Northup is educated, intelligent and free, but now forced to live in this horror that McQueen illustrates for the audience. Reed also pays tribute to the cast who support the film as well as Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, who as Reed wrote: “finds beauty bordering on insanity in every sunny, moss-covered lane and every shadowy column of the Louisiana plantation locations”.

It is evident that Reed was moved by this film. His review, though concise, was deep and it changed my perception of him as a critic. In the past, American history involving slavery has proven to be lightning rods for publicity, but Reed’s praise for all angles of the film convince me he found a work of genius in this film from the director, McQueen to Ejiofor and his prediction of future super stardom.