Image: Videovision Entertainment

A film based on Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom, was always going to be successful in the post-Christmas cinema listings. It was also bound to receive a plethora of mixed opinions from critics, as films about politics always do. The problem that director Justin Chadwick faces here is trying to fit every single aspect of the remarkable man’s life into just 146 minutes of screen time. It is due to this that the film is good rather than outstanding. By squeezing Mandela’s early life as a lawyer, his ANC involvement, his romance and second marriage to Winnie, his twenty-seven years as a prisoner on Robben Island, his release and his emergence as South Africa’s president into one film, what we have are two and a half hours of a whistle-stop checklist history lesson.

However, Idris Elba and Naomie Harris (Nelson and Winnie Mandela respectively) should be applauded for their exceptional portrayals of two of South Africa’s most well known politicians. Elba gives a respectful portrayal of Mandela, giving insight into the man’s passions as well as his weaknesses superbly. His portrayal of a young, flirtatious Mandela is particularly notable. But Elba’s biggest accomplishment in the early stages of this film is to evoke Mandela’s passions for a democratic South Africa. His best scene arrives when Mandela, during his court case as the voice of the ANC, announced that he was prepared to die for freedom, for a free South Africa. Alongside Elba is Naomie Harris who shines through as a wonderfully strong and smart actress playing an incredibly robust woman. Both actors move from strength to strength as they portray two young people falling in love with each other and sharing their attitudes to life.

Unfortunately, once the film moves to Robben Island it becomes more turgid. Once again there seems to be too much to fit in to about a thirty-minute section of the film. The only scene that really stands out is Mandela being notified that his son from his first marriage has been killed in a road accident. Elba shines again as an actor able to portray raw emotion on screen. Whilst he is playing an imprisoned Mandela, the focus shifts to Winnie’s life and how she was affected by her husband’s sentence. Harris brings vigour and animation to the role, something she should be credited for given Winnie’s controversial reception throughout the world. What the film does well at this point is to not shy away from difficult chapters and events. Whilst Elba’s performance is at its best during the first half of the film, Harris’ adaptation of Winnie shines through in the second half.

Essentially, everybody should go and see this film. Although it crams a vast amount of history into far too short a timescale, it is extremely thought provoking. The actors who make up the cast provide the viewers with two and a half hours of first class, passionate performances. Chadwick’s adaptation of Mandela’s biography is heavy. but in a sense it should be, given the extraordinary life that he is portraying. You will leave the cinema having shed a few tears and have definitely been compelled to go and read A Long Walk to Freedom.

Alice Burns