Antebellum

Starring: Janelle Monáe, Kiersey Clemons, Gabourey Sidibe, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Eric Lange,Tongayi Chirisa

Director: Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz

Eden (Janelle Monáe) is a slave on a Southern plantation run by Elizabeth (Jena Malone) and some Confederate soldiers led by the abusive Captain Jasper (Jack Huston). When they aren't picking cotton in the fields, she and the other salves must stay quiet and submit to whatever the white soldiers want from them. However things might not be as they seem when Julia (Kiersey Clemons) arrives and claims to know who Eden is. As Eden tries to uncover what is going on, she finds the truth may be more sinister than she expected.

This is a very confused movie, and I don't mean hard to follow. It does have a meaningful and very real message at its heart (racism is alive in modern times) but it doesn't know what type of movie it wants to be.

It is well shot and features some pretty striking imagery. The acts the soldiers carry out against the slaves is at times hard to stomach. Given the current state of our country, the film definitely triggers a reaction and in that regard, it succeeds.

What ultimately hurts the film is its script, which really could have used a few more drafts to lock in fully. I figured out The ultimate mystery of what is going on early, so the film isn't particularly thrilling. Side note, marketing for films shouldn't boast that a film has a twist (regardless of whether it's a good or bad one) because twists work better when you aren't expecting them. Instead, I spent the first fifteen minutes trying to figure it out and did quite easily. I digress back to the tone of the film, which also is not horror due to a lack of jump scares. At least it isn't a horror in the way most would think, because as I said what happens to the slaves is pretty horrific.

Janelle Monáe leads the film and does a fantastic job. I haven't really seen her act before this and I hate to admit I haven't watched Hidden Figures yet (shame on me and that will be rectified soon). Outside of her, we don't really get to know any of the characters, especially the villains of the film. They are pretty despicable and that's about it. It could have added another layer to the film had they been fleshed out a little more and given more of a reason to hate them.

All in all, this wasn't a complete misfire. It has a great lead performance from Monáe and has a very timely and provacative message. Unfortunately, the rest of the film isn't able to follow through.

Grade: C-

Antebellum is available on VOD