Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and disturbing images, sexual content and brief strong language.
Starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris
Directed by Justin Chadwick
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom tries to do too much.
That’s because despite fine performances from Idris Elba as the South African leader and Naomie Harris as his wife, Winnie, there’s no way the entirety of Nelson Mandela’s life is going to fit into a two-and-a-half hour movie…or a four-and-a-half hour movie for that matter.
This film 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.
Nelson Mandela passed away in 2013 at the age of 95. He spent 27 of those years in prison and transformed both the government and culture of South Africa. Putting all that into one 2½ hour movie is near impossible. But that’s exactly what director Justin Chadwick and screenwriter William Nicholson tried to do here. The result feels rushed and empty.
I wish they would have taken one chapter of this incredible man’s life, like Steven Spielberg did with Lincoln. The life of Nelson Mandela is simply too big, too complex and too important to be contained in one movie.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in this film but some of the violent scenes and subject matter may upset young children.
The S-word is used a number of times and various racial slurs are used.
CONVERSATION STARTER
- How did you feel watching the scene where Mandela sees two of his grandsons pretending to gun down his white guards, Mandela gently chastises them. “That is what they do to us, we must do better.”
- Have you ever found yourself wanting to “get even” with someone?
- How did you respond?
- Read I Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. - When someone hurts us, it is a natural reaction to want to hurt them back. But what are some ways we can we live out this verse this week?
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.