The Middle Passage
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Movie Reviews of The Middle Passage
Movie Review: Not good for middle school students, better for high school
Summary: 3 Stars
Even though this is presented as the story of a slave, it's not really set up with a plot, characters etc. My students found it hard to follow because it is lacking typical narrative elements - and it is presented more like a philosophical & reflective journey. The excessive voice-over narration and advanced vocabulary were also confusing for the students. It did not keep the student's attention. I think this is film is better suited for older students.Movie Review: A great opportunity to educate missed.
Summary: 2 Stars
The rather flat narration and slow cinematography made this a difficult film to keep your attention. It is true that the slave-trading era is a dark book in human history that dates back 1000's of years and continues to this day in some cultures. The height of African slave trade to the New World was between the 17th and 18th century. I had hope this film effort would be an educational and informative film, but came across more as a grasp for pity more so than opportunity to enlighten and educate. While very loosely based in hard cold facts, much license has been taken with the facts. Many events appear to have come from numerous ships logs are compiled into one ships journey giving the impression of great suffering on a single voyage. Not to minimize the suffering that did take place on these voyages one must note that little tidbit of information for relevance. Slave ships were horrid places and the average slave had less than 2 square feet of space, less on some vessels. The treatment and mortality rate was appalling, was cramped beyond comprehension and little to no food and water during their crossing. There are many excellent writing of the period on the conditions and events on these ships and are far more informative and true to fact than this production. Primarily from the writing of inspectors that patrolled the seas after the band on slave trading in 1807 (Britain) and 1808 (US). These inspectors account the conditions, treatment and savagery on these vessels\. I would recommend those as opposed to this. Since nearly all victims of the slave trade where illiterate and had no written language little is known of their suffering from their eyes and words, so much poetic license and projection is being made as to the true events. The important point I'm making is that this is a movies is very loosely based on many real events, but it is not to be taken as literal history that would be a grave error. The opportunity to make a truly impacting informative educational film here that reflected the mistreatment and suffering of these people was missed. I would very highly recommend that if you are an educator and plan to show this film as part of a history class, please arm yourself with knowledge first as little is to be found within this work.
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