London Film Festival 2018: 'Widows' Film Review

A masterpiece.

Attending the 2018 London Film Festival as a member of the press comes with its perks. We get to go to screenings in cinemas that have uber-comfy chairs, we get a cool, self-validating press lanyard, we might even get a free novel on our way into the movie theatre. That was the case for Widows, anyway, a film based on a 1980's BBC series which was itself based on a novel by Lynda La Plante - a book that now happily rests in my backpack, thanks 20th Century Fox!

I'll never be bought though - at least, not unless I'm offered copious amounts of free food - so I'm relieved to report that Widows impressed me more than a free gift from Hollywood ever could. I'd go so far as to say, in fact, that Widows is a masterpiece.

Viola Davis (Fences, The Help) leads the insanely talented ensemble cast. Her acting prowess proves yet again unmatched, and in each scene you'll find yourself wondering why the so-called 'black Meryl Streep' hasn't yet garnered enough widespread acclaim to see the latter actress be known as the 'white Viola Davis'. Her character Veronica is cold, calculating and harsh, but Davis delivers a performance so nuanced and so bluntly tender that every fibre of your being will root for her plan's success.

Veronica's plan's success, though, is conditional on the performance of her fellow 'widows'. Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, The Man From U.N.C.L.E) offers her talent to the character of Alice - another woman who, along with Veronica, finds herself dragged into the criminal underworld as a result of her husbands' death during a 'job' gone wrong. Debicki's character undergoes one of the biggest emotional journeys within the film and her magnetic, endearing performance compliments Davis' portrayal perfectly.

Also excellent are Gina Rodriguez (Annihilation) and Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale) who round out the film's main team of women. I loved how none of the characters were either good or bad. Each one was more of an anti-hero than a clean-cut lead, and the film therefore was given the opportunity to depict female characters as imperfect, flawed, powerful, resilient and compelling - traits that used to be reserved solely for male roles.

While we're on the topic of male roles, there are some incredible male performances here too. Liam Neeson (Taken) is chillingly sinister in one of 2018's most unlikable roles. Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther, Get Out) is menacing and unpredictable. Colin Farrell (Saving Mr. Banks) and Robert DuVall (The Godfather) are, as expected, also electrifying on screen, with both actors proving memorable and engaging in their respective supporting roles. 

Director Steve McQueen doesn't just draw out engaging performances, though. His camera work is simply spectacular, and he flexes his cinematic mastery right from the film's exhilarating opening sequence. Sean Bobbit (Widows' cinematographer) infuses every scene with tension and grandeur. It's aesthetically stunning - even night-time car chases are breathtakingly shot. It's evident that this film was made entirely lucidly. Everyone stepped up to the plate. Every element introduced into the plot has a purpose. Every decision serves the film as a whole. Every plot twist is, in hindsight, organic. It's magnificent cinema.

Widows is both visceral and electrifying, while Davis re-defines excellence; there are multiple scenes which made my jaw drop in shock. This crime-thriller is a well-worthy successor to McQueen's Oscar winning 12 Years A Slave, and I'll be shocked if it doesn't end up with a few golden trophies of its own. 

Widows will be released in UK Cinemas on the 6th November, and in the US on November 16th.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Written by James Green