Review: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

City Paper grade: C-

Countless hours have been spent examining and glorifying the life of Nelson Mandela in the weeks since his death, most of which have been more valuable than the two and a half squandered on sketching his life story in Justin Chadwick’s rote biopic. The South African leader’s long struggle is no doubt an inspiring one; it poses important questions about the use of violence to end repression and the unpleasant choices and compromises involved in political solutions. Those issues and many others are raised here, but dropped just as quickly in the mad rush to cram Mandela’s entire life into a running time not quite up to the task. Any portion of this fascinating journey would merit its own film: the young lawyer’s politicization in the face of apartheid injustice, the messy tactics used by the African National Congress to effect change, Mandela’s 27 years in prison and consequent transformation from leader to symbol, his conflicts with his younger wife’s more extreme radicalism. All of these subjects are dutifully checked off the timeline, but none are allowed to make any real impact. Imposing and charismatic actor Idris Elba makes Mandela’s rapid ascent to leadership seem believable, but he’s given little more than slogans to recite between march-of-time montages. We’re told of his patience and resolution in the face of such a lengthy imprisonment, but it flashes by so quickly that we never feel the cruel drudgery of that punishment. Worse, Chadwick offers no context for Mandela’s achievements, shying away from political nuance to focus on Great Man clichés, including warts-and-all acknowledgments of his personal flaws as if it’s somehow revelatory that the mighty are less than perfect. Mandela’s life may have been a long walk to freedom, but this film is a quick sprint to sanctification.