Idris Elba deserves to be recognized and I hope MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is the movie to do it. After turns on THE WIRE and THE OFFICE along with last year’s PROMETHEUS, Elba is still not a household name. He has built a fanbase due to his BBC series LUTHER and this summer’s PACIFIC RIM, and yet Elba is not where he needs to be, which is an A-list star.
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is one of those biopics that could be easily acclaimed by the Academy or written off as a mediocre effort. I hope, based on the great trailers, that it is the former. Today comes a new clip for the film that instills even more hope that this is going to be one of those movies remembered for a long time to come.
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is based on South African President Nelson Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country’s once segregated society. Idris Elba (PROMETHEUS) stars as Nelson Mandela, Naomie Harris (SKYFALL) stars as Winnie Mandela, with Justin Chadwick (THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL) directing.
In addition to THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, director Chadwick brought some excellent work to the BBC series MI-5 and BLEAK HOUSE. He will next be helming the pilot for David Milch’s HBO series THE MONEY. From the looks of this clip, he may be a name to remember for big films in the future. This clip has the documentary feel that Paul Greengrass brings to his movies, minus the shakycam. I also am reminded greatly of SCHINDLER’S LIST here with the South African officers coming across as both human and monsters at the same time.
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is primed to be an Oscar contender when it hits theaters on November 29, 2013.