The Birth of a Nation (2016)

Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.

Director:

Nate Parker

Writers:

Nate Parker (screenplay by), Nate Parker (story by)

Stars:

Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller

4 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nate Parker	...	Nat Turner
Armie Hammer	...	Samuel Turner
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Elizabeth Turner
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Raymond Cobb
Mark Boone Junior	...	Reverend Walthall (as Mark Boone Jr.)
Colman Domingo	...	Hark
Aunjanue Ellis	...	Nancy
Dwight Henry	...	Isaac Turner
Aja Naomi King	...	Cherry
Esther Scott	...	Bridget
Roger Guenveur Smith	...	Isaiah
Gabrielle Union	...	Esther
Tony Espinosa	...	Young Nat Turner
Jayson Warner Smith	...	Earl Fowler
Jason Stuart	...	Joseph Randall

Storyline

Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat's preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities - against himself and his fellow slaves - Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.

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Plot Keywords:

preacher | torture | illiterate | southern | rebellion | 

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Taglines:

A Battle Against Slavery.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent content, and some brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

El nacimiento de una nación

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,625,000, 7 October 2016

Gross USA:

$15,858,754, 2 December 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bron Studios, Creative Wealth Media Finance, Follow Through Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nate Parker invested $100,000 of his own money into the film.

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Goofs

Nat quotes says he is quoting from Peter 2:18, the correct book of the bible that he quotes from is 1 Peter 2:18.

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Quotes

Nat Turner: You need to tell me who done this to you. 'Cause I'm gonna take care of it, you hear? On my soul. I need you to tell me now.
Cherry: "Put up again thy sword into His place. For all they that take the sword... shall pass with the sword." You taught me that.

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Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode #45.8 (2016)

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Soundtracks

RUN, MARY, RUN
Performed by Lanei Chapman, Khanya Mkhize, Regina Taufen, Cathy Cavadini, Django Craig, Isa Hall, Doug Burch, Jeremy Maxwell

User Reviews

A Mediocre Semi-Accurate Historical Film

I typically love historical films. Having a bachelors degree in history and an enormous home library consisting of many historical books from all periods in American and World history, I have a fond knack for this particular subject.

Unfortunately 2016's "Birth of A Nation" mostly disappoints. This film feels more like a made for TV movie than a big budget film. The dialogue felt contrived and the movie was plagued with too many clichés. The film also ignores the darker side of the slave rebellion, in which women and children became innocent victims, along with the plantation owners.

Birth of a Nation basically paints Nat Turner has an unquestionable hero, yet the real Nat Turner - if you've ever read any history - probably wouldn't be considered as a hero by the vast majority of modern people, considering some of his questionable actions during the rebellion that left women and children slaughtered.

There wasn't really much of an impact on me by the end of the film, and I think the film mostly fails to give the viewer a clear or unique message. In the end, the film mostly feels like a waste of resources. Historical films should be better than this!