The Birth of a Nation

Name: The Birth of a Nation
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: October 7, 2016
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Armie Hammer, Aunjanue Ellis, Colman Domingo, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior

2016

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Generally favorable reviews based on 50 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 112 Ratings

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5.5	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 112 Ratings

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The Birth Of A Nation

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: October 7, 2016 | R

Starring: Armie Hammer, Aunjanue Ellis, Colman Domingo, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Nate Parker, Penelope Ann Miller

Summary: In the antebellum South, Nat Turner (Nate Parker) is a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities - against himself and his fellow slaves - Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes ofIn the antebellum South, Nat Turner (Nate Parker) is a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities - against himself and his fellow slaves - Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.… Expand

Director: Nate Parker

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Kyle Smith

Oct 6, 2016

Both broader and deeper than the relentless and monotonous “12 Years a Slave,” it’s one of the few important movies to hit cinemas this year. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Jan 26, 2016

It's a beautiful, reflective film even as it is also a brutal, visceral one. Read full review

James Mottram

Dec 22, 2016

An impressive directorial debut – and acting turn – from Parker that deserves to be seen, despite the PR firestorm. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Oct 5, 2016

It’s a complicated movie about a complex man that courts controversy, both intentional and not. If that doesn’t make it a great movie, it makes it a necessary one, now more than ever. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Oct 6, 2016

The Birth of a Nation is a flawed but fairly compelling chapter of the American story that powerfully resonates with how that story is playing out today. Read full review

Mike Scott

Oct 6, 2016

The Birth of a Nation is ultimately involving as a cinematic history lesson. It is its flashes of modern relevance, however, in which it scores most effectively. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Oct 6, 2016

The director’s pedestrian tactics are most evident in his command, or lack thereof, over his cast. While Parker knows how to expertly play to the camera – he all but winks at the audience, so confident is he in his admittedly captivating lead performance – he abandons his fellow actors, allowing them to exploit their worst instincts: hammy accents, wild gesticulating, uneasy line readings. Read full review

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User Reviews

Docean

Oct 17, 2016

This movie was Amazing! Nate Parker did a flawless job expressing the pains of slavery. I am not going to lie me & my husband were shaking & crying after the movie ended..could not drive our car until we got our cry out.

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

Foreverangel

Oct 7, 2016

This movie was mind blowing and one of the best movies I have ever seen. He was genius in writing, producing and directing this move while also having a leading role. Unlike other slave movies that have been done in the past, this movie set itself apart as the audience viewed the suchThis movie was mind blowing and one of the best movies I have ever seen. He was genius in writing, producing and directing this move while also having a leading role. Unlike other slave movies that have been done in the past, this movie set itself apart as the audience viewed the such bravery, will and spirit of the slaves despite being under wicked oppression. This movie also highlighted such horrors that slaves were left to endure and how evil many slaveholders were. Mr. Parker also added a dash of ancestry to the movie which intensified the movie all the more. I will purchase the DVD when it is available and recommend this movie for all to see.… Expand

4 of 11 users found this helpful47

IPOCHASE

Oct 10, 2016

The movie "Birth of a Nation" is truly a great film, especially for young black Americans who will not learn about Nat Turner because our education system purposely leaves this piece out. The negative views are biased, they would prefer to see slave movies where slaves were nothing butThe movie "Birth of a Nation" is truly a great film, especially for young black Americans who will not learn about Nat Turner because our education system purposely leaves this piece out. The negative views are biased, they would prefer to see slave movies where slaves were nothing but submissive, people are simply upset that this is a film about slave rebellion… Expand

5 of 13 users found this helpful58

moviemitch96

Oct 11, 2016

Ignore all of the hate reviews. I guarantee more than half of them are from people who haven't even seen the film and are just giving it bad scores and reviews as a way of boycotting it in response to director/star Nate Parker's rape controversy surrounding the film. People should be judgingIgnore all of the hate reviews. I guarantee more than half of them are from people who haven't even seen the film and are just giving it bad scores and reviews as a way of boycotting it in response to director/star Nate Parker's rape controversy surrounding the film. People should be judging this film based on the film itself like I'm about to. All that aside, I'd say that this was actually a pretty solid film that did great work at bringing Nat Turner's slave rebellion to glorious life. The acting was fine and the cinematography was often times beautiful. Overall, while it may not bring anything new to the table in terms of period films, it's still an unflinching look at an infamous and significant moment in history. It really does deserve a chance and should not be dismissed simply because of the controversy surrounding Nate Parker in real life!… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

EpicLadySponge

Oct 7, 2016

Movie has a bit of flaws back and forth, but you got to admit it took us 101 years to get a feature film of this bad boy and it actually worked. Despite whether it pulls facts or not, you got to give it a chance and watch it.

3 of 12 users found this helpful39

Muskrat147

Oct 20, 2016

Even with Nate Parker's fantastic performance, The Birth of a Nation's heavy-handed direction and flawed narrative make the viewing experience slightly boring and uninteresting.

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

Viaje

Dec 8, 2016

Here's yet another "propaganda" film to remind people, especially Black people, they were and remain **** The screenplay, acting, direction, editing and all other artistic aspects of "The Birth of a Nation" embrace the mediocrity of predictable "Hollywood" filmmaking.

QUESTION: Do filmsHere's yet another "propaganda" film to remind people, especially Black people, they were and remain **** The screenplay, acting, direction, editing and all other artistic aspects of "The Birth of a Nation" embrace the mediocrity of predictable "Hollywood" filmmaking.

QUESTION: Do films like "The Birth of a Nation" or "12 Years A Slave" or "Glory" (1989) or "Amistad" (1997) really function as entertainment, or education, or both?

RESPONSE: Looking at the big picture, it doesn't matter, because ultimately the purpose of these films is to make money. Just over a decade ago, the U.S. entertainment industry was the second largest export industry following the aerospace industry (Source: Sandrine Cahn & Daniel Schmimmel, The Cultural Exception). Even today, nearly sixty-(60) percent of film revenue is from foreign countries. Clearly, by exporting films like "12 Years A Slave," White people relish the opportunity to repeatedly tell the whole world how the U.S. successfully controlled and managed its **** and guess what, White people are still doing it! The plantation system evolved to become the reservation system for Native Americans. Adolf Hitler learned from it, and along with other tactics employed by advocates of eugenics, he eliminated six-(6) million Jews, which is only a drop in the ocean when compared to the tens of millions of Blacks/Africans that died directly as a result of slavery during the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

QUESTION: After being educated about the horrors and impact of slavery through **** slave films, have White people demonstrated any significant change in their dealing with Black people to prompt social change?

RESPONSE: HELL, NO! There are more Black men in prision now than the total number of Black men held captive during slavery! Source: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. White Americans make up only 64% of the U.S. population, but possess 90% of all wealth. For every dollar in assets owned by Whites in the United States, Blacks own less than a nickel, a racial divide that is wider than South Africa’s at any point during the apartheid era. Source: Matt Bruenig of Demos

Like the overwhelming majority of theatrical films featuring Black people in leading roles, "The Birth of a Nation" is NOT entertainment, nor is it educational. It's just another **** film paying homage to slavery, oppression, discrimination, and especially White privilege, and these films have absolutely no artistic and educational value. These **** films embolden White privilege and change nothing. Albert Einstein said it so clearly, “Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

http://www.tripoetry.com/Film/Reviews/Get-Up.htm
http://www.tripoetry.com/Film/Reviews/12-Years.htm
http://www.tripoetry.com/Film/Reviews/12-Years-PS.htm
http://www.tripoetry.com/Black.htm… Expand

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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