Story: Successful author Veronica Henley finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it's too late.
Coming to this I was excited but skeptical because the producers of Get Out and Us were behind this and I'm not a huge fan of those movies. I enjoyed Get Out even if I think is a generic thriller with great visuals & acting and felt frustrated by the third act of Us enough to ruin the experience for me. The bad reviews I read didn't help much either. But after watching this I can safely, to me, this is a really really good film.
*Spoilers*
Here's what I think:
Janelle Monáe who was great in Hidden Figures steals every scene. The girl has the talent to spare.
Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) is an added bonus. She has a natural charm and is funny.
Kiersey Clemons (Hearts Beat Loud) has a role that amounts to nothing. Her talents are completely wasted. She's fucking amazing all the time.
Jena Malone (The Ruins) as the main antagonist? I've been a fan of her for a long time and she's just so talented. Her character is one of the more interesting. Her mannerisms and her fake accent all add layers to a character that's pretty much one-dimensional. She needed plenty of screentime.
The secondary characters don't get much to do other than serve a purpose so you pretty much don't care about anyone but Janelle Monáe.
The soundtrack by Nate 'Rocket' Wonder & Roman GianArthur Irvin is beautiful and epic.
I really liked the twist revealed during the second act. Sort of like a cross between The Hunt + Westworld.
I liked the way this story is told. Jumping back and forth until everything makes sense.
Antebellum is a horror movie in the sense that these atrocities on display happened. There is a clear message about racism in America that's still very much alive. Much like Get Out & Us. Seeing these types of movies always get me angry. Most scenes, especially during the beginning where we get a look at how slaves were treated, are hard to watch. It's sickening that these horrible acts occurred not so long ago and are still happening while I write this shitty review. So in a way, this is a slap in the face.
Watch the trailer:
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