'Amazing Grace' is not what you might expect from a film about the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Unlike previous productions such as 'Roots', this film concentrates on the man widely held to be the driving force behind the abolition of the trade. I personally haven't read enough about William Wilberforce to know whether or not his characterisation is presented accurately (despite the fact I live in the city he was a Member of Parliament for) but, faithful or not, it is sympathetically done and never goes overboard.
Much is made of Wilberforce's personal life and, thankfully, most of it is directly relevant to the overarching narrative meaning there are no scenes that seem unnecessary or dull. Even the numerous scenes of Parliament manage to hold interest by shying away from long protracted speeches whilst remaining entirely convincing. By doing this, Wilberforce is portrayed as a master of debate, a headstrong and determined radical fighting an uphill battle against the vast majority of his political peers whilst at the same time struggling with some personal demons.
'Amazing Grace' is not a typically mainstream piece but the strategic coinciding of its release with the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade should see it attracting a fair bit of curious interest. As a motion picture, it is also well deserving of such an audience. It's a moderately slight work, never really delving too deep into the issues at hand but this is undoubtedly beneficial to its ultimate widespread appeal. This film could safely be shown to school-children who would no doubt get a lot out of it and I would recommend anybody with an interest in world history to take a look at what is essentially a biopic of one of the key figures behind the practical realisation of "all men being treated equal".
Much is made of Wilberforce's personal life and, thankfully, most of it is directly relevant to the overarching narrative meaning there are no scenes that seem unnecessary or dull. Even the numerous scenes of Parliament manage to hold interest by shying away from long protracted speeches whilst remaining entirely convincing. By doing this, Wilberforce is portrayed as a master of debate, a headstrong and determined radical fighting an uphill battle against the vast majority of his political peers whilst at the same time struggling with some personal demons.
'Amazing Grace' is not a typically mainstream piece but the strategic coinciding of its release with the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade should see it attracting a fair bit of curious interest. As a motion picture, it is also well deserving of such an audience. It's a moderately slight work, never really delving too deep into the issues at hand but this is undoubtedly beneficial to its ultimate widespread appeal. This film could safely be shown to school-children who would no doubt get a lot out of it and I would recommend anybody with an interest in world history to take a look at what is essentially a biopic of one of the key figures behind the practical realisation of "all men being treated equal".