Lincoln Review

Can this Civil War blockbuster from Spielberg really be worth the hype?
Tonight, at the 85th Academy Awards, it seems that Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in Lincoln is a dead-ringer for a victory in the Best Actor category. For those of you who haven't managed to catch the film in its brief period at the box office, I wouldn't be surprised if the validity of Day-Lewis' seemingly inevitable impending win is something you'd want assurance of, so that's exactly what this review is here to do. Moreso, though, we're here to set the record straight as to whether this works as a standalone motion picture.

The first inevitable area this reviewer has to deal with is, of course, Day-Lewis himself. It's difficult to retain any real objectiveness on the matter of this English actor's esteemed hype, yet in all honesty, as a central star Daniel completely inhabits the role of old Abe with ease and grandeur. If ever we needed a realistic depiction of one of the defining figures of the American Civil War, this is it, as it feels as if we as viewers have been transported back to 1865, to the final months of Lincoln's life in full scale. This Brit star has some pretty stiff competition between Hugh Jackman, Bradley Cooper and Denzel Washington in the night ahead, yet it seems assured that he'll scoop his rightful third Best Actor title, and this reviewer can safely say it'll be totally justified if he does.

There are plenty of other highlights among the talented cast of stars, though. Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both provide marvellous portrayals of Lincoln's close political ally Thadeus Stevens and Lincoln's son Robert respectively. Beyond Sally Field as Mary Todd, these are probably the only main headline names you'll recognise, yet each actor and actress cast in this production feels hugely in-synchronisation with the atmosphere and players in Congress at the time of the Civil War, whether portraying left-wing or right-wing characters or indeed the oppressed African-Americans living in the midst of slavery. Indeed, this flick is probably a dream come true for many dedicated historians, and it's testament to director Steven Spielberg's creative vision that the storyline and its representation rarely seems to border on any zealous patriotism tonally.

While we're on the topic of the film's esteemed director, it's worth noting that Spielberg does absolute wonders with the imagery of the Civil War era, bringing his trademark directorial and visionary quality to every scene regardless of its setting. John Williams chips in with a great soundtrack on top of that- although it's not quite on the same level as 2011's hit War Horse, there's certainly a strong degree of gravitas that it brings to the motion picture. It's pretty much a given that any Spielberg production will boast an insane level of visual and sound quality, and that trademark level of quality is something which the production team adhere to with aplomb and pure vigour that's clear in every ounce of the film.

Despite what some United States critics- often so enthralled with this realistic depiction with the Civil War that they can't admit gripes- might have you believe though, Lincoln isn't quite a Film Of The Year contender. It comes damn close, but Sally Field's portrayal of Mary Todd in my opinion brings the quality of the narrative down a little. Field's character is depicted in a manner that seems almost a little too prophetic, with Todd-Lincoln forced to utter dialogue that seems too blatant , too focused on gaining the viewer's empathy and pathos for the wife of this iconic figure rather than providing a realistic representation of the character. In addition, one shortcoming with the narrative is that it's so focused on dealing with the inception of the Thirteenth Amendment, additional supplementary elements of Lincoln's life included in the plot feel out of place when they don't reach any meaningful conclusion.

Nevertheless, what Lincoln aspires to achieve, it does so in good measure. Daniel Day-Lewis excels in the role of the titular protagonist, his key co-stars for the most part support him successfully, and Spielberg's direction/creative vision are as exemplary as ever. Lincoln is a stunning motion picture which only falters in minor instances, yet is more than worth its Best Picture nomination and its various other award accreditations.
4.5/5