How is this anti-climatic? Simple. It’s fucked up when you stop and think about it. The reason why this story about a free black man, who goes through unmitigated hell, gives up and loses all hope, only to be released and rejoined with his wife and kids after TWELVE years is considered by critics, white critics, to be anti-climatic, or just missing some emotional oomph, is because there’s no cookie for white people at the end.

As white movie goers we are accustomed, when it comes to movies about slavery, to have at the end the abolition of slavery, or at the very least an act that signifies a clear path to the abolition of slavery. Some movies even take place during the Civil War and act like the North wanted to free slaves and that’s why they were fighting. In other words, in movies about slavery, made by white people, there is a sort of “Hey. We fucked up. Our bad. But hey, we helped out in the end. Are we not merciful? Didn’t we save you in the end?”

McQueen does not do this. In fact McQueen and Ridley do something so daring that they it will surely cost them any chance of being nominated for an Academy Award. They shoot the entire movie from Solomon’s point of view and in doing so force white people for the first time in my generation, to identify with a black character. A slave.

Early on Solomon is told by another slave not to reveal to anyone he can read or write, or they will beat him for being uppity. Repeatedly throughout the film Solomon tries to seek help from the white people that surround him. There are no white saviors in this movie.