Okay, so 12 Years A Slave is a great film.  Director Steve McQueen has bought the same patient, visual style that he bought to Hunger and Shame (both excellent) and has delivered a film that neither flinches from, or wallows in, emotion and violence.  Nor does it bend under the weight of it’s historical basis, which, like Lincoln, would have killed it.

The only thing is that I would like to re-watch it without the weight of the expectation of violence.  I’m not saying that the film isn’t a hard watch because, at times, it is, but such was the ‘hype’ surrounding it, that going into the cinema I did wonder why I was going to watch it and, after the film, was left with the distinct impression that many people never seem to have considered what slavery actually is… probably a good idea that this reminder exists.

Edit: just changed ‘was’ to ‘is’ in that final line, seems more accurate.