Parents' Guide to Emancipation

This drama has good intentions in wanting to portray the realities of slavery, but those intentions are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of graphic violence. Violence is an expected part of a story about slavery, so it's understandable that Emancipation would include some intense and upsetting moments. But certain scenes last so long, with no real reason for their existence, that it's hard not to wonder what the point of showing them actually is. Is it for education, or is it morbid entertainment? Given the United States' record of using Black bodies and death for entertainment and morbid curiosity, this question is a legitimate one to ask.

Making a film about slavery has become an increasingly dicey proposition the more that audiences, especially Black audiences, lose their appetite for seeing Black death on-screen. The tragic real-world killings of Black people have helped spur the movement to put a stop to telling stories about Black pain. Yes, films about the United States' painful treatment of Black Americans are still necessary, but scenes of extreme violence are tough to excuse, especially since some seem merely there as set dressing. And even beyond that, Emancipation is only OK. The film does have gripping moments as Peter (whose real name was actually Gordon, but that name is inexplicably given to a separate character) outwits his captors in the swamp. But overall, the film seems positioned as awards season bait and is yet another movie designed to educate audiences -- White audiences in particular -- about the basic tenets of compassion and empathy. For Black viewers, it might just be more visual and audible trauma.