Antebellum is high concept. Yes there is a twist, and I will not spoil the twist in this review, but I felt the twist was less a "gotcha" sort of twist and more of a central theme of the film. Antebellum functions as metaphor and somewhat revenge fantasy. It's like an episode of Black Mirror or the Twilight Zone, asking us to think about issues more than perhaps telling us a story or developing its characters. For me it was enjoyable as a think piece, once that is beautifully shot. Perhaps it could have been stronger with more focus on development of character.
Antebellum follows two stories, one in the present and one in the past which follow similar threads. It is about connecting historical racism with the experience of people of colour in the US today. The idea is the past and the present are intricately connected and Antebellum makes that point in a clever way. It also reveals a truly horrific reality in the end, one that shows how much we still struggle with the enduring power of white supremacy. Again perhaps I wish the film had delved deeper into this but it still is eye opening.
The film's last act becomes a series of revenge fantasy and Janelle Monae symbolically destroys her captives, finding poetic ways to kill like an 18th century Kill Bill sequence. While this part felt a bit over the top, damn was it entertaining, and certainly cathartic. The film ends too abruptly. I wish so much of of this good idea could have been explored more deeply.
The main problem with Antebellum is that is just doesn't go deep enough. It should be longer and more complex. It has at its heart a fascinating idea of which the surface is only scratched.
Antebellum
Starring: Janelle Monae, Eric Lange, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Gabourey Sidibe, Mark Richardson Jr., Tongayi Chirsa, Robert Aramayo, Lily Cowles
Writers/Directors: Gerald Bush, Christopher Renz
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