Film Review: ‘The Birth of a Nation’

The Birth of a Nation is an important, imperfect film despite controversy. 

For months now, Nate Parker’s new film The Birth of a Nation has been the center of heated discussions over its significance. Initially the narrative focused on a black actor-writer-director adapting the story of Nat Turner’s famous slave rebellion and releasing it at a time where African American citizens are still fighting for civil justice. In recent months discussions have shifted after allegations of sexual assault by Parker and his cowriter Jean McGianni Celestine resurfaced. Now as the film makes its debut to the general public, audiences will finally have the opportunity to experience the work for what it is– an intense, well-crafted, but imperfect film.

The film largely focuses on who Nat Turner was as a person beyond the rebellion and what led to those events. Depicted in a dream-like prologue as a child prophesized to become a great leader, Nat (Tony Espinosa as a child, Parker as an adult) is recognized as gifted for his ability to read and is taught the bible by his masters’ family. Nat in turn becomes a preacher and earns money for his financially struggling master (Armie Hammer) by preaching for slaves across different plantations. As he witnesses the suffering of fellow slaves in his travels, he is no longer able to stomach serving slave-owners interests and instead leads his men on a violent 48-hour slave rebellion.

As mentioned earlier, there is a lot to admire about the film and its production. Together with cinematographer Elliot Davis, Parker is able to stage moments visually stunning and horrifically violent with equal confidence. The visual language forms a compelling union with Parker’s portrayal, allowing the audience to see the brightness of Turner’s relative position of privilege on the plantation fade as he gains perspective on the darkness facing his people. And while the film’s violence is not for the faint of heart, the final rebellion sequences are impressively staged and utterly captivating. In addition to Parker’s impressive performance, Hammer brings nuance to the overwhelmed slave-master and both Mark Boone Junior and Coleman Domingo do strong work as a slimy reverend and one of Nat’s fellow slaves respectively.

Yet, despite an interest in examining the legacy and importance of Turner as a figure, the film rarely allows its audience to truly know who he is beyond his actions. While his arc as the film’s hero is clear, the film often chooses to present him as a pure martyr rather than delving deeper into his identity. The moment Turner, at his lowest point, embraces violence as a means for his holy work should feel like a substantial moment, yet it comes across as something closer to a plot contrivance rather than a genuine epiphany. Similarly, as a first time director, Parker does succumb to unnecessary flash at times, using crafted images and montages to hammer home some of the film’s messages in heavy-handed fashion.

Ultimately though Birth will likely never be entirely separated from the controversy that surrounds it, the film stands as a noble and undeniably impressive debut from Parker, no matter the questions that persist about the man himself.

In theaters Oct. 7.

-Nathan Braun