Lincoln Movie Review

Steven Spielberg really knows how to make history come to life. Lincoln is the story of one man and his work but branches out farther than his lonely office.

The movie is about Abraham Lincoln in the critical part of his presidency. This was during the civil war and his fight to pass the bill to free the slaves. The film greatly depicts that time in all aspects. The locations, the mood and emotions can easily be felt by the viewer. Spielberg knows how to balance politics and emotions. This film was very heavy on dialogue but you won’t care because it catches your attention.

The film, like Spielberg’s War Horse has great cinematography. From the battlefields of Gettysburg to the White House, the camera angles and choices of locations perfectly match the mood of every scene as well make that era come to life in front of us. The score for the film was done perfectly to suit the film’s tone and look. It blends well with the dialogue and helps carry the emotion of the film. Adding to that are the costumes and make-up. Daniel Day-Lewis is unrecognizable when he is Lincoln. And that’s just the make-up and getup.

Academy Award winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis brings another award winning performances as one of the world’s most respected and renowned men. As I mentioned earlier, the make-up and costume make him look like Lincoln but it is his acting that greatly completes the task. Lewis had a different approach on the way Lincoln talks. He sort of distanced himself from the clichéd tone and voice of Lincoln as portrayed on films and plays just like what Benjamin Walker did in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. He talked in a mellow yet authoritative voice. And he adds his certain tone that makes it his own version of Lincoln. Not to mention the perfectly reflected posture of the towering Lincoln.

The supporting casts of the film are perfectly suited for the film. They showed great performances even if they were overshadowed by Lincoln. They managed to stand on their own and show memorable performances throughout the film. Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Jared Harris, James Spader and even Joseph Gordon-Levitt showed acting that greatly blends with the story and the emotion it is trying to convey. I really give out kudos to James Spader whose performance as W.N. Bilbo was just genuinely amazing to watch. Spader really outdid himself.

Lincoln deserves the entire buzz it got before it was released. Here is a film about history in which you won’t feel dull and bored. It delivers historical facts that you know but it will still make you excited to know what happens next. Even his death is well portrayed and the ending is just right.

Lincoln is a powerhouse of facts and emotions that will leave you in and have more respect to a great man. A film worthy of any honor it may receive and a one of Spielberg’s best films. I give it 8 out of 10.