The Cape Town Crusader
03. Dec, 2013 
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Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Turning The Apartheid
Official Website | Trailers & Mo
R | 139 min
Nelson Mandela is quite the character, having previously been played by likes of Sidney Poitier(!), twin Morgan Freeman (in the blah Invictus), Terrence Howard, Danny Glover, and Dennis Haysbert (Denzel gets a pass cause he played Steve Biko in Cry Freedom).  We have not seen all these incarnations, but all MUST pale in comparison to what Idris Elba did, walking mighty mighty tall in Mandela’s shoes (IT’S A ‘LONG WALK’ PUN, SORTA!!!).  It won’t happen, but Elba deserves the Best Actor statue (yes, even over Hanks or any of the other dudes who played people getting beaten by white people or the ocean) for his work in Justin Chadwick‘s clean and crisp and really darn good (enuff) Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.  Mandela’s life has so much ground to cover that it could spawn and be spread over 10+ movies (hence his national rugby team supporting got its own movie), but Chadwick and writer William Nicholson do a quality job of covering all the bases and dropping all the key people/places/things right before our eyes, in under 2 hours and 30 minutes of perspiration and inspiration.  Credit Naomie Harris too (I’d like to spend 28 days later and like 28 years with her!!!), who embodies the character of Mandela’s long-suffering from a distance wife Winnie.  The former Mrs ‘dela has also been played by a wide array of ladies – most recently by Jennifer Hudson and the brilliant Sophie Okonedo.  Haven’t seen their performances either, but assuming Jennifer Hudson singing Dreamgirls tunes in South Africa won’t lead to a second trip to the Oscar podium.  Again, don’t know if it will happen, but Harris should get the Supporting Actress statue this year.  Anywho, take the shortest walk you can to a theater near you playing this, and remember, you have the freedom that Mandela didn’t, so go ahead, get the biggest popcorn and soda you can order, juss cause you can!!
Verdictgo:Â Jeepers Mos Def Worth A Peepers
Walk this way, currently in limited release
and until next thyme the balcony is clothed…
