41 reviews
Ignore The Karen's
The one stars given this movie speak more of those reviewers than the quality of the film. I found it interesting and at times humorous. It's by no means one hundred percent historically accurate, but what film is? Ignore the negative reviews and give it a shot.
Entertaining, but not accurate
Viewers must know up front that Shields Green was an escaped slave. That is the only historically accurate fact in the first half of the movie. The first half of the movie is the writer's imagination. Please don't take it as history. Green's association with F. Douglas is true, as is his association with J. Brown and the Harper's Ferry raid. And the end of the movie doesn't accurately depict Green's final fate. It's too bad that with so much rich Black history that Hollywood chooses to make stuff up. It's a disservice to history and to a people who deserve better. Much better. This is an entertaining movie, with adequate acting albeit mediocre writing. It would have been better if the critical scenes had been shot on location. Maybe the director was looking for Harper's Ferry in Virginia. Watch it, but don't take it seriously. Shields Green deserves better.
- tomtpcarpe
- Sep 12, 2020
- Permalink
I enjoyed it until....
I went into this movie knowing nothing about it so of course I looked up the characters afterward. It's not at all historically accurate. Hollywood thinks we are morons & can't appreciate a true story to be inspiring or entertaining as is, or they're idiots & cant make it to be so without elaborating & fictionalizing. Disrespects the actual characters too imo.
- Tina_jeppesen
- Sep 19, 2020
- Permalink
I'm already dead
- nogodnomasters
- Aug 25, 2020
- Permalink
Not at all historically accurate!
They took quite a lot of liberties with the beginning and end of the story, making up details of Shields Greens life and completely changing the outcome of his fight at the armory. But besides all the historical inaccuracies, if you just wanted to watch it for pure entertainment, the script was a bit weak, which made it hard for the actors to shine. Even though their were some big named actors, their performances were average due to the poor script, direction, and sets. It was enjoyable enough but could have been so much better, IMHO! 6.5
- LiveLoveLead
- Oct 14, 2020
- Permalink
Hardly.
- ronlynette
- Sep 4, 2020
- Permalink
A story told, and another story that misses an important point.
I've seen my share of Civil War movies, slave-trading, indentured service movies and all of them are consistent with the same themes. African tribes that won wars against other African tribes sold them into slavery, kept the women and children, and that theme repeated.
As slavery grew across Africa, 100's of years ago, it found it's way to Europe. After several decades of slavery growing in Europe it founds it's way to what would become North America, literally the last place slavery got it's foothold, and the place African Americans inaccurately place all of the blame.
In fact, what would become the last place slavery had a foothold, would become the place African Americans place all the blame for centuries of wrongdoing. But, that's not the story directors seem to want to tell.
Slavery was alive and well in 100's of countries many centuries before the US would ever be named or even discovered. Nobody but the US seems to be held responsible for it though, which is totally unwarranted. Convenient though considering the US is the richest nation on the planet though.
Perhaps my white privilege has me not thinking clearly, but I think it's time for all communities to stand up and be proud of who they are and stop blaming current generations for what their ancestors did. If they did, this would be a much better place to live for all of us.
I enjoyed the story, the acting, and the actors selected for this movie though and suggest it would be an entertaining 99 minutes of their time.
As slavery grew across Africa, 100's of years ago, it found it's way to Europe. After several decades of slavery growing in Europe it founds it's way to what would become North America, literally the last place slavery got it's foothold, and the place African Americans inaccurately place all of the blame.
In fact, what would become the last place slavery had a foothold, would become the place African Americans place all the blame for centuries of wrongdoing. But, that's not the story directors seem to want to tell.
Slavery was alive and well in 100's of countries many centuries before the US would ever be named or even discovered. Nobody but the US seems to be held responsible for it though, which is totally unwarranted. Convenient though considering the US is the richest nation on the planet though.
Perhaps my white privilege has me not thinking clearly, but I think it's time for all communities to stand up and be proud of who they are and stop blaming current generations for what their ancestors did. If they did, this would be a much better place to live for all of us.
I enjoyed the story, the acting, and the actors selected for this movie though and suggest it would be an entertaining 99 minutes of their time.
Saturday afternoon action adventure film more than a serious history drama
Feels like a Saturday afternoon action adventure revenge tv show instead of a historical drama. The film has pretty good cinematography, location, settings, wardrobe, and a good cast. But the writing is poor. It never digs deep into the main character and the then political situation of the time. All it does it name drops and ads cameos of historical figures. Unfortunately the film is mostly fluff and little substance. It really had a lot of missed potential.
- Horror_Flick_Fanatic
- Sep 13, 2020
- Permalink
2 Movies + 1 Show = Emperor
2 movies came to mind: Harriet & Django. 1 TV show came to mind as well Underground. I'm writing as I'm watching this and it can end with 1 of 3 endings.
Good story, bad movie
It could be a very good movie if the script wont be so nothing. Rush from screen to screen without letting the characters to be deeper. Waste of energy.
- RedRiverWeb
- Aug 19, 2020
- Permalink
they left out the real ending
- DeadManWalking1
- Sep 7, 2020
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Not bad at all!
I love Western movies. Watch whatever I can find. This is Absolutely watchable. May be too much political for US watchers, due to the north/south slavery angle? Anyhow this is well worth spending 1,5 hours on a Friday evening.
- LucasFilm99
- Nov 5, 2020
- Permalink
Bad
This movie stinks. While I appreciate the historical value, the importance was lost by a poorly produced, executed, directed film with poor performances.
A well produced movie tries, at a minimum, to film in locations that look similar to the locations where the real story took place. That helps make the story more believable. I enjoy historically based films that are shot in locations that try at a minimum to appear to be historically correct. John Brown was captured at Harpers Ferry, then Virginia, at the arsenal not a fort.
Worst Movie of The Year
Bad script, bad directing and dreadful acting.. Cant think of one good thing to write about on this load of rubbish
- Ladybbird-269-945146
- Aug 17, 2020
- Permalink
Historically inaccurate
Great premise, poor history. Seems like another attempt at "Roots" with invented history, famous characters who may have never been involved. The emperor was hanged 2 weeks after Brown. Oops forgot that it of truth. The reality is good enough, no need to embellish. Remember few actually read history and take movies as historical truths. This dream history brings further discredit on true activities muddying the real history with falsehoods. Ok film. Accurate props.Brown fortified The firehouse, not the armory. Let true history speak, and you will get the same effect with the truth!
Who cares if it is not historically accurate, most films are not.
This is a good film and well worth watching. Take no notice of the low marks.
- mcleanmuir
- Jun 12, 2021
- Permalink
hypocritical nonsense
Black beauty with an elaborately groomed hairstyle shows the ugly white rat-faces "where the iron crosses grow".
- gordocooper
- Oct 24, 2020
- Permalink
Romanticized
Another version of history a bit romanticized but entertaining. Dato Okeniyi has the lead and performs well.
Absolutely terrible
Hollywood just makes up history as they go total BS they hung him just like John Brown he never saw his son and his son is lost to history what's next The Emperor and John Dillinger.
- clouseau-65125
- Aug 31, 2021
- Permalink
Historically inaccurate.
Another piece of Hollywood history revision, complete with a horrible screenplay and bad directing. Research the facts for yourself (if they haven't burned the books yet).
- tlawrenceshannon-99112
- Jan 23, 2022
- Permalink
It's very entertaining like Braveheart or Last Mohicans
I watched this film with no prior history of Shield Green and loved the film. It's very well written and the acting and direction is top notch. And about time a good Hollywood film is made that puts an action packed theme to a black historical figure- and yes of course it obviously takes lots of liberties with historical accuracy much like Braveheart or Last of the Mohican but the end result is entertaining. It's funny to see bad reviews just because of Harper Ferry and John Brown historical inaccuracy but it's a hollywood film - not a silly documentary so just enjoy the show zand you'll love it. The main actor is phenomenal and could be next Denzel and the supporting actors are excellent esp the bounty hunter.
A solid 8
- filmtravel101
- Feb 3, 2021
- Permalink
Another untold story of American and black history
Great historical untold story, reminiscent of 12 Years a Slave, I wish it could have been longer to focus more historical attributes and heroes .
- slcasey-433-586151
- Sep 5, 2020
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Absolutely brilliant !!
This is a very well done movie with superb acting. I loved the story which did not venture too far from the factual history of the event.
I found the movie authentic in representing this amazing piece oh History.
I found the movie authentic in representing this amazing piece oh History.
- OzMovieWatcher
- Aug 17, 2020
- Permalink
Surprising good.
An outstanding ensemble cast of up and coming actors relate a good story with some skill and a noticeable dedication to the craft. The story could have meandered into the standard videoed-reenactment stuff of YouTube, but it manages to rise above the commonplace in a number of ways. Bruce Dern is a surprise - 'he's still alive for one thing - playing the part of a hokey , antebellum do-gooder and pulls it off professionally. The hunter-killer bounty hunter is a solid nemesis before 'rising to the stars'. Good solid work! There's credible visitation of the 'Gabby Hayes School of Cowboy Actin''
A comely mulatto wench and a sold cast of everything elses.
Great costuming. Only the odd or end to surprise.
I'm watching this again and tracking down the possible movie tune of the pandemic year. "The Other Side" - thought it was Dolly P but this gal might even be better. That alone is worth an audition or three.
Emperor is intriguing
- scorpiotay-02660
- Jan 8, 2021
- Permalink