I had hopes for 12 Years A Slave. After seeing it, I give it a 6 - TopicsExpress

I had hopes for 12 Years A Slave. After seeing it, I give it a 6 out of 10. McQueens direction was overly photographic and staged when it shouldve been cinematic and natural. It disengaged the audience; he put aesthetics over story. As for the story, characters were under developed, especially between key characters like Solomon and Patsy. I agree with what one critic said: 12 Years A Slave was a good film but not great ... The fact that there are fewer films regarding the subject matter has lent itself to the attention and praise this film is receiving (unlike Holocaust films the volume of which allow for more accurate evaluation and comparison). Jonathon Demmes Beloved for example is much better.