Director: Justin Chadwick.
Starring: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Riaad Moosa, Terry Pheto, Jamie Bartlett.
Certificate: 12A.
Running Time: 146 minutes.
Synopsis: This epic motion picture spans Nelson Mandela’s (Idris Elba) extraordinary life, from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of South Africa. MANDELA is the thrilling story of an ordinary man who rose to the challenge of his times and triumphed – an intimate portrait of the making of a modern icon.
Even before MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM was made, opinion was divided over whether it would be possible to adapt such a complex story for the big screen. Though Justin Chadwick and screenwriter William Nicholson have proved it can be done, it might not give you the satisfaction you were hoping for.
Finding itself in a constant pickle over whether it is a modern biopic or traditional historical epic, LONG WALK TO FREEDOM squeezes in far too many important events that are watered down to fit into a two and a half hour film. Eager to get to Mandela’s arrest and time on Robben Island, Chadwick relies on audience knowledge, quickly flitting through the early years with many important moments barely dwelled upon.
Screen portrayals of Nelson Mandela have often fallen into the caricature and one-sided, but here no stone is left unturned. Encompassing the legend, the Lothario and the man filled with regret and determination, Idris Elba manages to capture his essence with poise. Filling in the gaps that Chadwick’s rushed history creates, Elba shows that Mandela was not only just a simple man, but a man who changed the course of history.
Although the hype surrounding the film falls on Idris Elba playing the man himself, Naomie Harris steals the show as wife, Winnie. A woman taken away from her children and placed in solitary confinement, her story plays out far more poignantly, once again proving Harris to be one of the most consistent (and arguably overlooked) actresses around.
The acting may be enough to carry MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, but it’s quite clear The Weinstein Company had high Oscar hopes for their biopic, taking away some of its emotion. However, Justin Chadwick’s film still remains a wonderfully acted, heartbreaking – if not overly polished – film that really captures the life of a man we have sadly just lost.
[usr=3] MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is released in UK cinemas on Friday 3rd January.
