I've said it before and I'm saying it once again: Steve McQueen is a visual artist in every sense of the word. He fully understands the power of the image and brilliantly exploits that in channeling his message. McQueen's films are not made to entertain (those who watched Hunger and Shame will know what I mean); his films are made to shock and engage. He uses gruesomeness to shock, and visual beauty to engage.

12 Years a Slave is shockingly powerful in its adherence to reality and its details. The audience are forced to watch the graphic whipping and torture scenes, and McQueen unapologetically elongates those scenes and strips them of any non-diegetic music so as to deepen their realistic effect. Watching a man hanged to a tree and trying to keep his toes to the ground for a few seconds is an awful thing to watch, and will naturally instigate feelings of pity and sympathy. However, watching the same man with his relentless endeavors to keep standing on his toes for more than 3 or 4 minutes is definitely an agonizing experience for the viewers. The persistence of the silent and still shot invades your comfort zone and forces you to identify with the man.

But being gruesome does not mean the film is not beautiful. Aesthetically speaking, 12 Years a Slave is a cinematographic feat. McQueen's visual trademarks are easily spotted (and admired). Each frame is a triumphant work of art; the placement of the camera, the colors, and the mise-en-scene are all done so carefully that I did not mind having those 'McQueeny' still shots all the time. Each frame is a beautiful painting with an elaborate statement.

Performance-wise, all actors excelled, even though some of them had really small roles. And of course, Ejiofor and Fassbender were phenomenal (surprise, surprise!). The only thing I could not understand is the presence of Brad Pitt in the film. His character is small but important in terms of plot line, but to have him pull this weird southern accent of his and talentlessly preach about slavery is completely annoying! I believe Pitt was used only for publicity; just another big name on the movie's poster.

I don't know why but whenever I write a review on any of McQueen's movies, I end up writing about McQueen himself and his idiosyncratic style (that's how good he is!). Maybe because it is not about what he presents but how he presents it. 12 Years a Slave is a slavery movie but not the usual slavery-is-bad-don't-do-it-again movies. It goes beyond the main theme and takes you by the hand to gruesome/fragile condition of the human soul.