Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom was possibly the best historical movie I’ve seen in theatres in months. It portrays the political influence and publicity of Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid leader in South Africa. The lives of his political comrades, his children, and his wife, Winnie, are also detailed greatly. Idris Elba was a perfect choice to portray Mandela, as his looks and voice in the movie are strikingly similar to those of Mandela himself.

The movie, which illustrates Mandela’s childhood, marriage, the period of his imprisonment in 1964, his final release in 1990, and his achievements thereafter, present an accurate and in-depth look into the life of one of the great freedom revolutionaries of all time. I have to say that the most pivotal and well-described part of the movie, although extremely sad and depressing, was the time Mandela spent in prison, specifically on Robben Island during the first 18 years of his jail time. The evil prison guards, the deplorable conditions, and the feeling of confinement all make the audience feel as if they are right there with Mandela. The scene in which Mandela demands long trousers instead of shorts for the black prisoners of Robben Island (which he is successful in obtaining), particularly speaks to the audience. The trousers themselves are not particularly important, but they stand for something much bigger: Mandela and his partners would not stand for black oppression, in prison or anywhere else.

Overall, I loved this movie. If you are interested in recent history or the anti-apartheid movement, and you love great acting, this is definitely the movie for you.