The idea of contrasting the two paths of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Nelson Mandela through the duration of Long Walk is a devilishly clever concept. It gives the movie heart, stakes, narrows the issues tackled by the film and showcases the cost of birthing the new South Africa ( to the Mandela's and the country in general). Let's dig in ...
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is written by William Nicholson (based on Mandela's book) and directed by Justin Chadwick .
Chadwick directed the sleeper hit The First Grader starring Naomie Harris and the sassy The Other Boleyn Girl. He takes us back to South Africa of the 1940's through sets, costumes and props. The production cannot be faulted on it's recreation of a time gone, something that was lacking in Mr. Drum.
We see the old townships as slums, a feel of Jozi of the 50's and the changing of time. Normally when one praises the production quality that's 'cause the story mostly sucks but thank goodness the script is solid.
Although the script tweaks/ nip tucks one or two historical moments for convenience of the story, it does do a great job of condensing what is a lifetime into 2 hours 30 minutes of film. Where it gets iffy is the beginnings of Mandela but the story goes into second gear when Mandela is in prison and Winnie is on her own. Naomie Harris as Winnie - or should I say Winnie's story - almost steals the film.
Although Naomie Harris' accent is very iffy, her passionate portrayal of Winnie makes up for the accent. Naomie, who we saw last on our screen as the timid Ms. Monneypenny in Skyfall, showcases how torture and apartheid brutality toughened Mama Winnie. She's given room to move and become her own dramatic force.
Kudos to the script for countering the great story of Mandela with the great misunderstood and underrepresented story of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
One cannot speak of Winnie without speaking of Idris Elba's portrayal of Mandela. For me, he nailed the accent, got the gravity of the man and is able to shift the characters demeanour from playboy to the elder statesman. Kudos to the creative team for not bringing a sanitized Mandela but showcasing the playboy and, I dare say, domestic abuser in the great man.
The film shows that Mandela was/is just a man who learned to react differently from his circumstance and like fine wine, matured with time. Yet at the heart of the movie is not Mandela but Mandela and Winnie who showcase how the choices people make, when faced with oppression, end up defining their characters.
Funny enough, it's the similarity in their beliefs that brings them together but their choices that seem to separate them. Winnie and Mandela are two sides of the same coin, facing issues that affect the then South Africa that, to some extent, still exist today. They become the embodiment of these two tensions: that of reconciliation vs. punitive justice by all means.
It's pity that Walter Sisulu, Braam Fisher, Govan Mbeki etc. are not given more screen time so that they can also bring in their own shades into the story, nor the role of PAC et al.
Albertina and Walter Sisulu's marriage is on the opposite side of the coin to what happened to the Mandela's. Poor Fana Mokoena as Govan Mbeki hardly says anything, Tony Kgoroge's dignified Walter Sisulu is not given the screen time he deserves.
There's a lot of talent cast in the film but they're not given time - I wonder if most of their scenes were left on the cutting room floor - hopefully the blue ray disc will be a goldmine once it comes out.It kinda sucks that you never know whose who in the zoo, since most of the characters are never truely introduced, so if you are not well versed in the Madiba and anti-apartheid struggle you might be totally lost.
Yet, of all the Mandela movies I've seen so far, Goodbye Bafana, Invictus even Endgame (to some extent) this is the most tempered, touching and socially relevant take so far. One which speaks to our past, our present, our fears, our hopes and our shame as South Africa.
It asks South Africa of today what future do we create, the one that Mandela cherished or the one that finishes the business that Winnie left? There are no easy answers.
The movie also shows that nothing great is ever accomplished without great personal sacrifice and a people united can do the impossible with the right leadership. Anyhow, I was surprised by this film and looking forward to hearing what other South Africans make of it.