Emancipation

R

Released Dec 2, 2022

2 hr. 12 min.

History

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

TRAILER

for Emancipation: Trailer 2

List

45%

155 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

"Emancipation" tells the triumphant story of Peter (Will Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of "Whipped Peter," taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper's Weekly. One image, known as "The Scourged Back," which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.

Read More

Read Less

Apple TV+

Watch Emancipation with a subscription on Apple TV+.

Critics Consensus

Emancipation works as an action movie -- albeit one that's uncomfortably at odds with its awkward handling of the real-life events that inspired its stirring story.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Consensus

Emancipation is a well-acted representation of an awful chapter of American history -- although the way it's dramatized may strike some viewers as too slick or sensational.

Read Audience Reviews

Aleshia M

A story that needed to be told.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Javier

The way they chose to shoot this film was a miss. The “300” vibe really cheapened, basically everything.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/24/22

Full Review

Zach

I want a fucking refund this theater ruined my movie by turning the lights on half way through and refusing to turn them off

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/18/22

Full Review

Jimmy

Great movie, realistic background/battle scene. Showed horrendous hardship & cruelty inflicted by the South during that era. Great acting by actors/actress. Went to see this movie for its story, No excuse for Will for his previous action.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/22

Full Review

Dominique

Great movie! Truly touching story! Will's performance was definitely Oscar worthy!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/14/22

Full Review

Reginald D

Great movie. Best civil War Ive ever seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/12/22

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Antoine Fuqua

Director

Will Smith

Peter

Ben Foster

Fassel

Charmaine Bingwa

Dodienne

Gilbert Owuor

Actor

Mustafa Shakir

Actor

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

%

%

Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen

%

%

Tiger

%

%

Hip-Hop and The White House

%

%

Tigers on the Rise

88%

83%

Monkey Man

TRAILER

for Monkey Man

69%

97%

Arthur the King

TRAILER

for Arthur the King

93%

%

Something You Said Last Night

%

%

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two

%

%

The Moon and Back

%

92%

La Cha Cha

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of December 2022

Holiday Movie Calendar 2022

Emancipation: Trailer 2

1:15

Emancipation: Trailer 1

2:47

Emancipation: Teaser Trailer

1:49

View more videos

View more photos

Soraya Nadia McDonald

Andscape

The hollow Emancipation is a mismatch between director and subject.

Mar 16, 2023

Full Review

Richard Lawson

Vanity Fair

Fuqua’s chosen technique only undermines his solemn intentions, rather than using starkness to make a salient point. Emancipation is overthought to its increasing detriment.

Dec 13, 2022

Full Review

Brian Lowry

CNN.com

There’s a pronounced Hollywood-ized feel to the finished product, one that doesn’t compare favorably with other projects that have covered similar territory.

Dec 13, 2022

Full Review

Jackson Weaver

CBC News

[A]s an action, [Emancipation is] not half-bad... But looking at it in the context of a somehow burgeoning field of slave narratives, the lack of nuance feels not only lazy but exploitative.

Oct 16, 2023

Full Review

Zach Pope

Zach Pope Reviews

Emancipation strives to be the strong surprise of the year but doesn’t fully come together. Smith? Excellent might even be his best performance! Powerful imagery, great cinematography, but a one note story that I found to lack depth

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

Its release was overshadowed by that Oscars slap , and that’s a shame. Those who fixated on the buzz rather than on the film missed out on a terrific and engaging bit of cinema that is arguably Fuqua’s most fully realized film since “Training Day.”

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 15, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

"Emancipation" tells the triumphant story of Peter (Will Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. The film is inspired by the 1863 photos of "Whipped Peter," taken during a Union Army medical examination, that first appeared in Harper's Weekly. One image, known as "The Scourged Back," which shows Peter’s bare back mutilated by a whipping delivered by his enslavers, ultimately contributed to growing public opposition to slavery.

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Executive Producer: Chris Brigham, Antoine Fuqua, James Lassiter, Heather Washington, Cliff Roberts, Glen Basner, Scott Greenberg
Screenwriter: Bill Collage
Distributor: Apple TV+
Production Co: Westbrook Studios, Escape Artists, McFarland Entertainment
Rating: R (Strong Racial Violence|Language|Disturbing Images)
Genre: History, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 2, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2022
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

Watch Now on