Emperor

Play trailer

1:41

Emperor

PG-13

2020

1h 39m

History

Drama

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Fighting his way north to free himself and his family, outlaw slave Shields "Emperor" Green joins forces with abolitionist John Brown for a daring raid in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., in 1859.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Leslie Felperin

Guardian

It's merely watchable, a low-stakes contribution to the current renaissance of African American film-making.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 23, 2021

Full Review

John DeFore

Hollywood Reporter

As the film progresses, several cast members look like they'd be more comfortable in a Drunk History short; others just look like they'd be more comfortable working for somebody with experience directing actors.

Aug 19, 2020

Full Review

Simon Abrams

RogerEbert.com

[Emperor] re-presents a dark period in American history without being inspired or insightful enough to be worth your curiosity or emotional investment.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 18, 2020

Full Review

Tessa Smith

Mama's Geeky

a powerful film that is based on the real life story of an escaped slave named Shields Green. However, most of it feels forced and exaggerated.

Rated: 2/5

Jan 9, 2021

Full Review

Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

Green is an active, charismatic figure as played by [Dayo] Okeniyi, and we're firmly on his side.

Rated: B

Sep 1, 2020

Full Review

Carey-Ann Pawsey

Orca Sound

Based on the real life story of an escaped slave named Shields Green, it shows the horrors lived and the bravery shown in their fight for freedom of blacks in the United States.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 30, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Hugo

Well directed, good actors.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/29/20

Full Review

Mark B

It's an enjoyable film, but I learnt afterwards about the historical inaccuracies and have to mark it down for that.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Did not mind this, the exploits of a run away slave that joins John Brown raid. If you read history the past even abolitionists' called Brown mentally deranged, but history made him into a martyr. That isn't for me to decide but the movie held its own. I should read a little more on Douglas. [I am a conservative, right leaning, Hispanic Republican too]

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

tony h

Cheap & nasty revisionist history or just Hollywood's refusal to let the facts stand in the way of a rollicking Boys' Own story; -From using the modern day USA flag to failing to explain that the protaganist was actually captured and executed (he was hanged along with the other survivors of the Harper's Ferry incident) whilst imposing some fairy-tale ending to his story, this movie is well worth AVOIDING, even though the true story of its 'Emperor' is well worth knowing.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

tom m

Didn't much care for it. The storytelling was below par as was the production value of the film.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Confusing at times. Not as inspiring as I'd hoped.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mark Amin

Director

Dayo Okeniyi

Shields Green

Naturi Naughton

Sarah Green

Kat Graham

Delores

Mykelti Williamson

Truesdale

James Cromwell

John Brown

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Harriet

74%

97%

Harriet

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Harriet

Marshall

80%

84%

Marshall

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Marshall

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

38%

73%

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Tolkien

51%

71%

Tolkien

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Tolkien

Tesla

58%

43%

Tesla

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Tesla

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Emperor: Trailer 1

1:41

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Fighting his way north to free himself and his family, outlaw slave Shields "Emperor" Green joins forces with abolitionist John Brown for a daring raid in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., in 1859.

Director: Mark Amin
Producer: Reginald Hudlin, Cami Winikoff, Mark Amin
Screenwriter: Mark Amin, Pat Charles
Production Co: Hudlin Entertainment, Sobini Films
Rating: PG-13 (Racial Epithets|Language|Some Disturbing Images|Violence Throughout)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 18, 2020
Runtime: 1h 39m

Most Popular at Home Now