Free State of Jones (2016)
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Director: Gary Ross
Writers: Leonard Hartman (story), Gary Ross (writer).
Cast: Matthew McConaughey (Newton Knight), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Rachael), Mahershala Ali (Moses), Keri Russell (Serena), Christopher Berry (Jasper Collins), Sean Bridgers (Will Sumrall), Jacob Lofland (Daniel), Thomas Francis Murphy (Elias Hood), Bill Tangradi (Lt. Barbour), Brain Lee Franklin (Davis Knight), Kerry Cahill (Mary/ Yeoman Farmer).
Opening sequence: A major part of reviewing a film like this is getting the facts, historical scenes right. Why? Because this actually happened. The facts must be there, from the beginning of the film, it serves as it's core. Must have something to work with, because if the facts are twisted, then the movie will hurt in the box office. Films with so much facts make it to a four or five star mega hit, but in the case of this film, the box office was a different story. Remember everything is all opinion, and that is a fact.
Review:
The Confederate soldiers march, preparing for the battle of Corinth in the Northern part of the state. Union soldiers wait for their enemies, the loud boom! of rifles echoes as Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) carries an injured soldier. Pushing himself to the medical area, which seemed far, he pulled the soldier, which was cradled on a cart. The Confederate camp was a short distance, but as massive gun fire missed him, his only focus was the camp. The shouts, screams of pain got closer, as Newton's legs are on fire, the pain he feels, not of gunfire, or injury, but the rush of moving in between soldiers, pulling the injured, his destination is found. The screams! of pain, but his injured man was placed inside, where he could be tended to. He had to mention, the main was a Captain, so he could get the treatment first, before lower ranks. Newton had done his job, but his disgust for the war had drove him to turn away from it.
The horrors of war is indeed a reality he must endure. Newton learns that some slaves are exempt from fighting, and get to go home. On the night of October 1862, Jones County Mississippi; A young boy named Daniel (Jacob Lofland), old enough to fight, but scared as a rabbit. Approaches Newton Knight; He had described to him, as best he can, his homestead has been under siege. He was forced to enlist, drafted by the army, everything he and his family had is gone, taken by the army that had passed. Seeing that Daniel was Kin, he had gone to Newton Knight, the only one that could help him get back home alive. After all he was just a kid, fighting a war that really made no sense.
Morning came, and as promised, he would protect the boy and get him home, as long as he follows his every move in the battlefield. Newton Knight runs from the camp to the nearest trench, Daniel is not far behind him. The continued explosions, loud booms! make him nervous, but as he makes it to the first trench, his awkwardness, and fear is noticed. Calming Daniel down, Newton counts as they run to another trench, but soldiers are present. The commanding officer tells everyone to reload you're rifles; Daniel tries, but fails, the other soldiers look right at him. Newton interrupts and the exchange continues. A mere interruption gives the boy a second chance. An explosion hits most of the soldiers as they charge to the next location. Daniel is hit, bleeding, a severe injury. Newton carries him, moves back to the camp, so the boy could get medical treatment. As he finally arrives, he is told the boy couldn't be treated. the room was filled, the boy was left to die. Newton confronts him as best as could. The blood flows to the ground, more screams, all Newton could do was close his eyes, and hope for the best.
"These men are here to vote. They mind dying a whole lot less than you do." Newton Knight
First let me start by saying, this film has so many great actors, it's really hard to begin. The story of one man's will to fight against all odds. The opposition was large, strong at sometimes, but what he had, was people. The people were inspired by his words of truth, he had told the slaves, everyone that wanted to listen, about being free. You see in 1862 the Confederate army had lost the very people that was the backbone. The fighting was getting very political. The reasoning behind it was devastating to families that only wanted to live. The army would take crops of the farmers, and when that happened, they also collected taxes, assets of the individuals. So the fight was more than meets the eye, because when Newton created his militia, he only wanted to make sure, the people had their land, crops, barns. He wanted a free state, a free man. The slaves supported Newton because he wanted freedom just like them, he understood the chains, death, what it took to fight for what is owed, meaning, you grow it, work for it, it's all yours.
The south seceded from the Confederacy, rebellions all over in the Nickajack region of North Alabama, East Tennessee, the state of Scott in North Tennessee, Searcy County in Arkansas, the Republic of Winston in North Alabama, Kanawha, it eventually will become West Virginia. The militia still thrives, even after the war. June 1865 the slaves are able to cultivate land for themselves. The people set up communities, and it looks like change had taken effect. Even years after the emancipation, slaves are still being worked; What changed was the idea of freedom, but the act of it was never there, because if it was enacted right way, the plantation owners would've never received their land back, and the slaves that they had with it, not just any slave, but children which they thought was all theirs. In the film Moses (Mahershala Ali) was hung, beaten, awful things were done to the man. During the film, he had gotten his freedom, not just by Newton Knight, but his heart, goals, determinations. Moses had gone to other slaves and gave them the right to speak their mind, the right to vote. You see the Democrats back in 1862 was for slavery, it was very political. The Republicans wanted slavery abolished, but what continued to occur even after the war was the complete it still managed to operate in the favor of the Plantation owners, which afterwards the southern states were under martial law, by the Union army, because of the consent uprisings, and it did not help that the New President was at the time a Democrat which turned things around against the free people.
The fight was more than just two armies, it was political on both sides no matter on how you look at it. The people are the ones that suffer the most, and what this movie did well was the depiction of the south. Some movies have issues with certain truths, but that was not the case for Free State of Jones. The feel, overall situational issues that were brought up, acted beautifully by the actors. The story takes the lead here, it establishes what truly happened in the south in 1862, or at least the Newton Knight's handling of the situation. Sometimes we have to look beyond ourselves, and this film did just that, it took you in a dark place, but there were heroes, men and woman who died for what they believed in. This story was not just a story, but a picture of what could happen if we're not careful on the paths we decide to take.
The KKK was very prominent in that time period, but what occurred was horrific atrocities that i wouldn't consider human like qualities. The slaves, and the ones that helped them died. for what they had. The church that was burned to the ground, because of the color of the skin, another horrific example of hate. The house of God was burned and the Government did nothing about it, Union or Confederate. The horrible event which i do not, will not ever support is praised by some groups of people. To watch a church that men had created, to honor God was burned down, and for what? Because those men hated the fact that the slaves were free. Wanted them to go back to tend to the Plantations. The hate was strong, but what it did was separate a state. No matter what the Government did, the south had it's own rules.
Free State of Jones is not comedic, but a reality that brings chills up you're arm. The feeling of desperation engulfs you. 1862 is a very difficult past in our history, a reason behind the fight. The war was motivated, by politics. You could even compare the past, but what have we learned by it. Today we have a disconnect with people. Instead of learning from the past, change it, make it better, we have to revert to the past. The draconian path we have taken today is completely wrong. Why? Can't we the people ever get along. Together we can accomplish many things, instead we change nothing. Yes on paper men are free, but are they? The way we treat others by the color of there skin, maybe 1862 should be an example of what not to revert to. What are we accomplishing by treating others bad. I could go in so many examples today, 2016. But all of you know them. People, human beings should never mirror the atrocities of 1862. The war was bloody, but what happened afterwards was so much worse. Free State of Jones takes us back to a place of war, hate, everything that does not make America. We should learn from the past, open are hearts and move on. The scars are their, forever, but that doesn't mean we have to revert to those ways. Free State of Jones is a film everyone should see, not just because of what's in it, but it also proves their are strong men with in us all. Challenge the wrongs, and do what right.
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