💖Film Review: Emperor

*Notice: This film review contains spoilers.

Emperor

While watching history documentaries on ancient African kingdoms, I came across an interesting film synopsis, about an enslaved African man who descended from royalty. I had not heard of this film before and found it by chance–or perhaps by providence. Honestly, I do not watch many Hollywood films that depict slavery. Although, I do read books about the Transatlantic slave trade and watch pertinent documentaries about chattel slavery. However, this particular film synopsis intrigued me.

The film: Emperor (2020) starring Dayo Okeniyi, Ben Robson, and James Cromwell (available for rental on Amazon) is inspired by a “True Legend.” It begins in 1859, on a South Carolina plantation where Shields “Emperor” Green, his wife Sarah, and their son Tommy are enslaved. A hideous incident causes Emperor to take vengeance against the perpetrators. Soon, he is on the run with a hefty bounty on his head.

The actions of Emperor provoke the fear of a potential slave rebellion among slave owners. They already are aware of abolitionists’ activities and the Underground Railroad in their mist. To prevent Emperor from becoming a symbol of freedom and revolt, they hire an expert bounty hunter. Meanwhile, Emperor is a fugitive slave making his way north towards a free state. Along the way, he has a chance or providential encounter with John Brown and Frederick Douglas. He becomes even more of a growing legend and threat in the American South.

This western-style film has good cinematography and adventurous action sequences. I especially enjoyed watching the loving bond between father and son. Emperor shows wisdom in a scene that explains the needs and divisions in the anti-slavery fight. He states: “We can’t all fight this war with a pen…Some of us, best equipped to fight this war with a gun.” This was a great film to watch! Be sure to continue to watch through the end credits as historical photos are shown of the heroic characters.

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