In the modern landscape of horror, it is difficult to approach issues of race as a plot point without thinking about Jordan Peele. In both Get Out and Us, Peele was able to confidently explore and critique issues of racial dynamics and its place in American society in a brilliant manner. He may have set the bar high, but that does not mean that there is not an opportunity for others to step forward and offer a fresh new voice to the mix. It makes perfect sense that a couple of the producers from Get Out, Raymond Mansfield and Sean McKittrick, have come on board for this newest entry into the genre from first-time directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz. Whereas Get Out brought the horrors of being black in modern America to the screen, the new film Antebellum transports us to the well-covered time period of Civil War-era slavery. If you have seen a trailer or read a synopsis, you know everything may not be exactly as it appears, but this review will try to avoid spoiling major developments as much as possible. The creative team attempts to draw parallels to modern day atrocities through our unforgivable past, but the execution leaves something to be desired.
Antebellum opens on a Louisiana plantation known for being a refuge for confederate soldiers. This is the domain of a man named Jasper (Jack Huston) who is merciless when it comes to the treatment of the slaves. Jasper has just returned with some runaway slaves, at which point a man, Eli (Tongayi Chirisa), is forced to watch his wife be killed right before his eyes. The act is brutal, but Hollywood has unfortunately offered up much of the same before in the guise of entertainment. The cruelty only continues as our heroine, Eden (Janelle Monáe), is brought into the quarters of Confederate general Blake Denton (Eric Lange) and beaten for refusing to say her slave name. Both of these moments are hard to stomach, but does that make them effective? Antebellum is a film filled with what appears to be a lot of big ideas about racism, but it lacks a lot of the nuance to make any of it particularly incisive. Perhaps the greatest flaw in the storytelling is the supremely underdeveloped characters on the slave front, including Eden. In addition to Eli, we also somewhat get to know a new slave named Julia (Kiersey Clemons), but everyone seems to be given the bare minimum to do to move along the story without soliciting any type of emotional investment on the part of the audience.
After forty minutes where not much of note really occurs, you meet a modern day woman named Veronica (also Janelle Monáe). Veronica is an outspoken advocate for racial and gender equality. The contrast between Eden and Veronica is stark, and the film plays with your expectations of what is really going on with these two characters. Is Eden a bad dream? Do both of these characters actually exist? Is something supernatural going on? The answers to these questions are not for me to reveal. Veronica is painted in very broad strokes as someone who almost appears to be a caricature of a progressive. This section of the film does offer up one of the highlights of the film; Gabourey Sidibe as Veronica’s friend and comic relief Dawn. This is a character that speaks freely without a second thought, calling out casual racism and played-out pickup moves in equal measure. Veronica’s story attempts to comment on the systemic racism that currently plagues the black community with microaggressions and intimidation standing in for lynching. The film starts to snap into focus as we near the end of Veronica’s weekend with her friends and the throughline between the two stories is clarified. While the ultimate revelation makes sense in its own convoluted way, it has all of the subtlety of a hammer.
Those who go into Antebellum expecting a horror film will be sorely disappointed. Sure, there are horrific moments of racist violence, but the intensity that it brings forth is not enough to be put into that genre. This is simply a heightened drama with some twists that would make M. Night Shyamalan proud. At the end of the day, the film just feels hollow. It has all of the elements to make an effective social thriller, but it does not have much of a soul to speak of. The way in which the story treats moments of vicious racism or sexual violence seems very casual and is not explored in a way that gives us any insight into the characters. The incredibly talented Janelle Monáe makes a valiant effort to elevate the film with a strong performance, but the script does not showcase her talents in the way that you want it to. Jena Malone likewise impresses in a villainous role that she indulges in with an unhinged glee. Some of the character choices at the end of this film will have you screaming at the screen by the sheer recklessness on display. These are the moments that starkly remind you that you are watching a movie, which greatly undercuts any tension that they manage to build up. Antebellum has some interesting ideas at its core, but the execution feels very flat and lazy. At the end of the film, you are left satisfied in a narrative sense, but it all feels very fleeting once you realize that not much of note actually happened in the plot. This is a story that needed a more deft hand to gently maneuver it through the minefield, but what we are given is a film that trudges through the obstacles with reckless abandon.
Video Quality
Antebellum makes the most of its 4K 2160p presentation in 2.39:1 on this 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc. This presentation especially shows its worth with black levels that are incredibly deep and detailed with digital noise mostly absent from the screen. The 4K presentation provides a depth of field that just cannot be replicated as well with the accompanying Blu-Ray. Brighter scenes like those depicting work on the plantation wow with an intense clarity and a strong handle of white levels that show no evidence of blooming. Skin tones look very realistic throughout and show a great amount of facial detail. Color highlights are another area of substantial improvement in comparison to the Blu-Ray. Colors look more natural in this presentation with multiple instances of vibrant orange hues from the setting sun or the burning torches on display. There are a few moments throughout the presentation where digital grain makes the film look a bit noisy in spots, but it is not a consistent issue. Overall, this is an excellent 4K UHD presentation that offers a noticeable uptick in clarity and depth.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with an incredibly effective Dolby Atmos presentation that fully immerses you in this world. There are elements in this track that are truly unnerving, such as the sounds of the brutality at the plantation. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven scenes filled with subtle whispers. The score from Roman GianArthur and Nate Wonder brings to life a truly chilling soundscape that amps up the creepy factor. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The low end is engaged well when Veronica is out with her friends and there are a lot of sonic elements at play. The sound design of this film is quite intense, and the implementation of environmental sounds are executed very effectively. The mix here is very well done with nice engagement of all the channels, which makes this track more than satisfactory for fans of the film.
Special Features
- The History In Front of Us – Deconstructing Antebellum: A 1-hour-and-7-minute documentary consisting of two parts which offers a deep dive into nearly every aspect of the film. Co-writer and co-director Gerard Bush reveals how the story came to him in a nightmare and how they developed it into a feature length film from a script outline. The cast discusses what attracted them to the product, and this also delves into the importance of having people of color and women behind-the-scenes to ensure that the story was told from an informed, respectful perspective. The second half delves more into the actual production of the film with many interesting anecdotes from everyone involved. This documentary is way more expansive than I anticipated, but it is a very welcome addition.
- A Hint of Horror – The Clues of Antebellum: A six-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss some of the clues and easter eggs that are sprinkled throughout the film. Some of them are obvious, but there are some things that are highlighted that are quite fun.
- Opening Antebellum: A five-minute look at the ambitious opening sequence in the film that was shot in one continuous take. The filmmakers discuss using Gone with the Wind as a jumping off point for the horrific tale, fighting the daylight to capture the sequence and more. There is some interesting behind-the-scenes footage of the camera operator roaming through the grounds to secure the shot.
- Deleted Scenes: Eight minutes of unused scenes are included here including more depictions of torture, further interactions between Eden and Denton, antagonistic language in the fields and more.
- Theatrical Trailers: Three minutes of trailers are provided here that make the film seem slightly more terrifying than it actually winds up being.
Final Thoughts
Antebellum has some really interesting ideas at its core, but the story has not been finessed by those behind the scenes well enough to create something substantial and incisive. If you go into the film without the expectations of it being a horror movie, you may be entertained, but it is doubtful that the story will stick with you long after the credits roll. Janelle Monáe and the other performers make a valiant effort to elevate the material, but they can only do so much. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has provided a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a truly gorgeous A/V presentation and some surprisingly substantial special features. Those who are considering a purchase should be extremely pleased by the overall package.
Antebellum is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
