Psychological thriller takes unique look at slavery

Psychological thriller takes unique look at slavery

Lauren Gunnell, Staff Writer

As most people know, slavery began in the 1600’s and lasted until June 19, 1865 and the movie ‘Antebellum’ revives slavery 400 years later.

The psychological thriller stars actress and singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe, who plays Eden, a slave who wants to escape her plantation.

The beginning of the movie shows a little white girl running around a plantation and slaves picking cotton as the credits roll and then the movie actually starts with action as a slave tries to escape while her husband Eli is being held back, but she gets caught and is executed and burned in a crematorium.

After that, Eden is branded as punishment for not saying her name on command and for her own escape attempt and six weeks later, a pregnant girl arrives and is named Julia and she goes to Eden says that she knows her and begs her to make an escape plan , but Eden encourages her to keep her head down.

Eli, knocks on Veronica’s door every day urging her to make a plan, but little does he know, Veronica tests the creaks in her floor boards every day, trying to find a way to get out her room quietly because a soldier that is referred to as ‘Him’ stays in her room at night.

The movie builds a lot of suspense and adds a little confusion before actually revealing the plot and also has some symbolism, like the bouquet of flowers with cotton and the little girl in the old-fashioned dress.

Janelle Monae was good for this role and she did well, and I also liked the costumes and the setting, because they looked very realistic.

Watching ‘Antebellum’ educated me and it also got me excited in certain scenes. The movie suggested that people never change and that there are still racist people out there that still want slavery. Although I do agree that there are still racist people, I doubt it would be possible to actually start slavery again.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and I do recommend it, and I give it an 8/10.