[Review] Antebellum(2020) {6/10}

Written and Directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz in their feature directional debuts, the film stars Janelle Monae (Eden), Eric Lange (Blake Dalton), Jena Malone (Elizabeth), Kiersey Clemons (Julia) and Jack Huston (Jasper) and follows a modern day African - American woman who finds herself in a southern slave plantation and must escape before it is too late.

The plot revolves around Eden (Janelle Monae) who is an enslaved woman who picks cotton in Southern fields during the Civil War. The enslaved workers are forbidden to speak to one another and are subject to brutal punishment that includes rape, torture, and murder at the hands of harsh Confederate soldiers supervised by Captain Jasper (Jack Huston) and his wife, Elizabeth (Jena Malone). A recent escape attempt has left one of Eden's compatriots dead. Eden must find a way to escape before it is too late.

The film opens with an intense and heartbreaking scene. There's plenty of terror in being part of a marginalized, brutalized group, and horror is a fantastic medium to explore pain. All the cast members gave an incredible performance. But the lack of specificity of the characters is the reason why the film ultimately fails to land. The viewers are not able to connect with the characters. The white characters are brutal and abusive but are also generically evil. They do not have the motivation that drives them to do the things they do. Most of Antebellum's run time is taken up in watching the enslavers abuse the enslaved. There is nothing for us to hold onto as viewers. There are some thought - provoking and nicely timed twists. but without a character arc, all of it feels empty and so does Antebellum.

Antebellum is now available on Digital and Blu-ray.