Viewers are free to chose whether or not to see a film based on much publicized occurrences in a filmmaker’s past. But because I’m a critic, I believe my The Birth of a Nation review should address the virtues and weaknesses of the film and the film alone. That being said, producer/writer/director/star Nate Parker gives us plenty of reasons not to see his self-proclaimed epic, regardless of his past.

I think a lot of people have been blinded by the perceived “importance,” “timeliness” and “relevance” of this movie, based on the true story of Nat Turner, a slave who led an uprising in the antebellum South that lead to the murder of hundreds of men, women and children, both black and white. Yep — that’s the gist here, so if you’re looking for an entertaining night at the movies, this is not the film for you.

If you’re looking to be educated and enlightened, this is not the film for you either. Parker serves notice early in the film that history, and even logic, will not be well served, when he introduces a vicious slave hunter who randomly massacres his prey and leaves mutilated bodies lying on the side of the road.

I certainly don’t mean to sound like I’m defending them, but these creatures were mercenaries, and would collect a far bigger reward if they returned the slave alive. In addition, killing a slave could be viewed as destroying another man’s property. Isn’t that awful enough? Parker’s version of the situation simply doesn’t make sense. Take a few steps back from it, and you’ll realize that the same holds true for quite a bit of the film.

Yet I could forgive Parker taking artistic license if he gave us a riveting, or simply engaging lead. Instead he cast himself as Nat Turner, and seemingly directed himself to be vague and distant. His sermons are uninspiring, his rallying cries lack authenticity. One of the many reasons 12 Years a Slave had so much impact was the profound performance of Chiwetel Ejiofor. Nate Parker is no Chiwetel Ejiofor.

He’s also no 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen. Parker uses so many of the cliches and devices we’ve already seen in movies of the genre that the film actually gets a bit tedious. And the dark, muddy palette of the cinematography is unapologetically dreary. At least it tempers the relentless blood flow.

Some will perceive my The Birth of a Nation review as politically incorrect or worse, but I’m okay with that. It takes more than capitalizing on the current zeitgeist to impress me. I think Parker tried to wear a few too many hats here, and would have benefitted from the expertise of others. His The Birth of a Nation is a missed opportunity.

Rated R

1 Hour 59 Minutes

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THE BIRTH OF A NATION Review — Not Enough