X
- 2016
- R
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
- 2 h
- 2016
- R
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
- 2 h
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 of le...
Directed By: Nate Parker
Written By: Jean McGianni Celestin
- 2016
- R
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
- 2 h
- 2016
- R
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
- 2 h
The Birth of a Nation
69
5.4
Where to Watch
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 of le...
Directed By: Nate Parker
Written By: Jean McGianni Celestin
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 50 Critic Reviews
69
72% Positive
36 Reviews
36 Reviews
26% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
2% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 50 Critic Reviews
69
72% Positive
36 Reviews
36 Reviews
26% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
2% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
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.
When I say that Parker is a master manipulator, that’s meant as a compliment of the highest order. He gets us into this story and puts us unequivocally behind Nat.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 120 User Ratings
5.4
49% Positive
59 Ratings
59 Ratings
19% Mixed
23 Ratings
23 Ratings
32% Negative
38 Ratings
38 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 120 User Ratings
5.4
49% Positive
59 Ratings
59 Ratings
19% Mixed
23 Ratings
23 Ratings
32% Negative
38 Ratings
38 Ratings
This movie is much more real than 12 years a slave and I can imagine that it will leave many feeling uncomfortable. It is the truest account of slavery that I have seen on the screen and it is the best movie I have ever seen. I notice that the negative comments all come from a racist point of view.
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The Birth of a Nation most definitely has its finger on the pulse of our times.
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.
Parts of The Birth of a Nation are bluntly effective and beautifully acted, though one of the drawbacks, ironically, is Parker's own performance. Even the rape victims of the screenplay have a hard time getting their fair share of the screen time; everything in the story, by design, keeps the focus and the anguished close-ups strictly on Parker.
What you will find is a film that toggles between impressive fury and a kind of made-for-TV blandness that does Nat Turner’s 1831 uprising — still controversial — no favors.
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.
The movie is a powerful narrative of the acne of hate on the face of U.S. History. The scares are deep and are clearly seen from a far today. This is quite evident in the negative comments written in this post about the movie, one can clearly see the ignorance associated in their response.
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[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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Mediocre film that had potential. Basically the directing and storytelling were just sub-par and left the film a bit slow and boring (I fell asleep at least once and had to finish watching it again.) A better director could have actually made this film into something Oscar worthy, but...that it is not. It has many shot selections that are out of a lifetime movie, and even worse...Nate Parker added in events that did NOT actually happen that portray his character in a more favorable light and then leaves OUT aspects that would make his character look "worse"...even though it **** truth. Seems like the conduct **** who is a rapist who discards the truth for the convenience of whatever it is he is seeking. Sub-par film, made by an even worse, and creepier human being. Overall, not very good, and mostly ruined potential.
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Nat Parker doesn't want you too know something that is very important about his movie. Many of the people that were killed by Nat Turner and the Rebellion WERE INNOCENT WOMEN AND CHILDREN!!! He knows that if you knew this you wouldn't want to see this movie and that you would know that the main character was a mass murderer of the most horrific kind! He was not a hero of any kind, nor was he any better than the slave owners themselves, since he murdered so many women and children. Do not bother seeing this movie unless you want to see a complete work of fiction.
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Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda.
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Production Company
BRON Studios,
Phantom Four Films,
Mandalay Pictures,
Tiny Giant Entertainment,
Novofam Productions,
Follow Through Productions,
Infinity United Entertainment,
Oster Media,
Point Made Films,
Juniper Productions,
Argent Pictures,
Hit 55 Ventures,
Creative Wealth Media Finance,
TSG Entertainment
Release Date Oct 7, 2016
Duration 2 h
Rating R
Tagline A Battle Against Slavery.
Awards
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 6 Nominations
Black Reel Awards
• 6 Nominations
Golden Trailer Awards
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
