In 1915, D.W. Griffith released The Birth of a Nation and forever changed the cinematic landscape. Epic in scope and sweepingly influential, the film is still held in high technical regard for its editing and cinematography. It is also, even by early 20th century standards, shockingly racist.
In telling the story of the Civil War and subsequent reconstruction from a Southern, pro-segregation perspective, Griffith used white actors in blackface to depict African Americans as sex-crazed savages preying on white people. The result was the Ku Klux Klan’s revitalization and more than a century’s worth of perpetuated racist attitudes.
Nate Parker’s use of the film’s title for the story of the 1831 Nat Turner slave rebellion is at once deliberate and provocative. The uprising, which took place in Southhampton County, Virginia, left 65 slave owners dead, while hundreds of slaves were killed in the resulting panic among whites throughout the South. To take on such a subject is a challenge for any filmmaker, and this is Parker’s first feature as both writer and director.
Whether Parker found success behind the camera is up for debate, but the film is filled with fine performances, especially from Parker in the starring role. He embodies the deeply religious Turner with fervor, igniting the screen with passionate sermons while still hitting the right notes during tender moments. Aja Naomi King provides an empathetic turn as Turner’s wife Cherry, while Armie Hammer is adequate as Turner’s slave master, Samuel.
While these performances are genuine and moving, they are far from extraordinary. The same could be said for the film as a whole. To his credit, Parker does not turn away from the shocking violence at the core of slavery. Several sequences display unnatural horrors with unrelenting realism.
But Parker also dabbles in the surreal, offering up a number of dream sequences scattered throughout the film’s two hours. While visually effective (thanks to wonderful cinematography from Elliot Davis), their repeated use is clumsy and thematically ineffective. Blatant symbolism is rampant as well. Few films feature religious imagery this blunt.
Turner’s characterization is also problematic. While at first portrayed as a peaceful, righteous man, a series of horrific events turn him from an agent of peace and obedience to one of violent leadership. As much as Parker tries, he fails to completely justify this transformation. The result is a brutal, heart-pounding final act that feels unearned.
Still, Parker’s ability to capture the sheer power of these events from a purely technical perspective is impressive. The images onscreen are well framed and present the South as a painterly landscape with harsh realities lurking below the surface. And when the violence finally erupts, Parker holds your gaze through it all. It becomes impossible to look away.
All of this adds up to a film that does a lot right, but can’t quite reach the heights it intends. While impressive for a first-time director, it settles for being simply good. This story, and its reclaimed title, deserves a masterpiece.
Watch the trailer for The Birth of a Nation below: