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Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

PG-13 Released Dec 25, 2013 2h 26m Biography History Drama List
62% Tomatometer 146 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The remarkable life of South African revolutionary, president and world icon Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) takes center stage. Though he had humble beginnings as a herd boy in a rural village, Mandela became involved in the anti-apartheid movement and co-founded the African National Congress Youth League. His activities eventually led to his imprisonment on Robben Island from 1964 to 1990. In 1994, Mandela became the first president of democratic South Africa.
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Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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Critics Consensus

It might be too respectful to truly soar, but there's no denying Idris Elba's impressive work in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom -- or the inspirational power of the life it depicts.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator It stars Idris Elba, a suitably great and charismatic actor, but even he cannot save this from seeming like a history lesson, as delivered by one of those teachers who can't seem to breathe life into a subject. Sep 5, 2018 Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online It would have been more compelling had Winnie been the main focus, especially given the number of Mandela films there already have been in recent years. But you can't hate on it to too much; it brought us the remarkable Naomie Harris Rated: B- Sep 6, 2017 Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk What keeps [Mandela: Long Walk] anchored is a towering, Golden Globe-nominated performance from Idris Elba Rated: 3/5 Sep 6, 2017 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review The production lacks depth in favor of its conventional approach to a historical biography and the dutiful veneration of its subject. Rated: 2/4 Aug 19, 2022 Full Review Richard Crouse Richard Crouse It is Mandela's legacy of love, forgiveness and reconciliation that makes the biggest impression. Rated: 3.5/5 Feb 1, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins The performances are outstanding, headlined by Idris Elba's powerfully convincing portrayal of the iconic revolutionary. Rated: 8/10 Dec 3, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Rayan H What is there better then a biography of a historical charismatic person like Nelson Mandela? Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is an excellent movie. The fact that Nelson Mandela never gave up fighting for his people makes, him to me one of the men i respect the most. Being Unfairly imprisoned for such a long and treated worse than an animal, Madiba ended Apartheid And brought about a peaceful transition to nonracial democracy in South Africa. It's, Undoubtedly, one of the best movies I have watched. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review john f While Idris Elba is good here (though it may take some time to get used to the makeup as he portrays the elder Mandela), Naomie Harris steals the show as Winnie Mandela. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review MrDonut MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is just a pretty good movie. The cinematography, music, and editing are all great here, especially Idris Elba's performance. As someone who is unfamiliar with the true events, I could say that I did find this film quite interesting. However I think the story here could be told a bit better, some of the pasting moves quite fast so it makes it hard to really connect with the characters or actually stay invested in the story. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/24/22 Full Review Audience Member Routinely structured while sensibly honoring the subject's impactful humane power at main points with broader elliptical distances as progresses humbly but evolved self-contradicting without shedding further light reflectively on that deflective fact. Ideally powerful with indecisive length at seemingly limited settlement, but mainly strengthened by the powerhouse performances particularly Harris and Elba's terrific portrayals. (B) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member This is an amazing film to be precise. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review william k Well-made biopic with an excellent cast does a good job as a portrayal of the man, but sparks no excitement or has anything original to add to the story. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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Cast & Crew

42 80% 85% 42 Race 63% 77% Race TRAILER for Race The Iron Lady 52% 51% The Iron Lady Suffragette 73% 68% Suffragette TRAILER for Suffragette Marshall 80% 84% Marshall TRAILER for Marshall Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis The remarkable life of South African revolutionary, president and world icon Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) takes center stage. Though he had humble beginnings as a herd boy in a rural village, Mandela became involved in the anti-apartheid movement and co-founded the African National Congress Youth League. His activities eventually led to his imprisonment on Robben Island from 1964 to 1990. In 1994, Mandela became the first president of democratic South Africa.
Director
Justin Chadwick
Producer
Anant Singh, David M. Thompson
Screenwriter
William Nicholson
Distributor
Weinstein Co.
Production Co
Videovision Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Strong Language|Intense Sequences of Violence|Sexual Content)
Genre
Biography, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 11, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.3M
Runtime
2h 26m
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