REVIEW: EMANCIPATION

3.5/5

Will.

132 Mins. Starring: Will Smith, Ben Foster & Charmaine Bingwa. Director: Antoine Fuqua. 

Everyone deserves a second chance, right? So why not Will? Let it be the way. Sure, the slap was awful. The abhorrent expletive shouting after even worse. But the comment Chris Rock made prior at this year's Oscars that will now be remembered for all the wrong reasons (if you want to take a deeper look at an acceptance speech, how about Jessica Chastain's beautiful one, seeing through 'The Eyes Of Tammy Faye'?), didn't exactly smack of sensitivity either. But that's no justification for Will hitting him. Neither is the fact that I remain a huge fan of both men. What remains is we may not forget, but we should have the power to forgive. Especially as Will is searching for ways to make amends. All whilst everyone on social media will claim everything the once most marketable actor in Hollywood and a fond franchise favourite face now does is disingenuous....whether it is, or not. Casting trolling stones and saying everything he does now "slaps" like a tired joke and slung slang. We're all human. And we all make mistakes. Have a look at that man, or woman in the mirror. When was the last time? Unintentional, or not. Now, enough of all this. As all this talk is going on we still have a movie to look at. And it's bigger than all of this. 

'Emancipation' is about the freedom of runaway slave Gordon, known as "whipped Peter" for the famous Harpers Weekly published photograph that shows in all his scars, just how brutal and evil slavery was and is. Again, as a side note, this movie's producer Joey McFarland's intention with bringing said photograph to the film's premiere was much more well-intentioned than those calling him out on social media. But then we're missing the point of this picture again. It's about Gordon's emancipation, not anyone else's. And in an Oscar worthy role for the 'King Richard' Academy Award winner (that will probably be his last for a while with his frankly ridiculous ten year ban from the awards show (how about the Gibson's and Polanski's?)), Smith is more than willing to tell Peter's story. Chameleon hiding behind a character and his accent like he did in 'Ali', (the one that should have really won the award). Will knows the work is about more than him. Especially now, as he raises awareness in the telling of another searing slave story like Steve McQueen's '12 Years A Slave' running for freedom for the classic miniseries 'Roots' and its raw remake.

Desaturated color tells you this story of bravery amongst all the brutality in black and white, classic cinematography. Just like 'The Tragedy Of (Denzel Washington's) Macbeth'. Also on Apple + TV which you can now have for free for two months thanks to 'Will's Gift' (that's the code, people. Sounds like Will Smith and the most genius name since his National Geographic planet series 'Welcome To Earth', now buried on Disney +). Washington, with "U-Haul behind a hearse" reality warned Will at the top of the devil coming for him. But now, in finding himself again and the powerful meaning in his work, Smith channels Denzel's own Oscar 'Glory' with the soldiering of the Lincoln free slaves in 'Training Day' director Antoine Fuqua's formidable film. 'The Equalizer' director (a third one with his good friend is coming in 2023 for all you older 'John Wick' heads) has had a hell of a good year (Hulu's 'Legacy: The True Story Of The La Lakers' showing HBO real 'Winning Time'), and this is one of his best. But even with an always good Ben Foster showing us just how easy it is for him to play it bad, and an inspired introduction to Charmaine Bingwa to counter, 'Emancipation' is more than the Hollywood story that precedes it. It's all about the story of one man who has will. But we're not talking about Smith. It's an amazing performance worthy of acclaim, but this is all about Peter. It's all about Gordon. The real man behind the picture. And that's 'Emancipation's' greatest proclamation. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'King Richard', '12 Years A Slave', 'Glory'.