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'Antebellum': Fans divided about Janelle Monáe horror and comparisons to Jordan Peele's 'Get Out'

Veronica Henley’s Kafkaesque nightmare is a powerful commentary on racism, symbols of oppression and power and is reminiscent, in its style, of Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed horror film, ‘Get Out’

Spoilers for ‘Antebellum’

'Antebellum', written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, gives psychological horror a new kind of meaning. 

The film starts in what appears to be a cotton plantation during the Civil War, where we see Confederate soldiers enforcing rules on Black slaves, torturing them, and even killing one for trying to escape. We see a slave called Eli (Tongayi Chirisa) getting beaten up. We see a slave woman named Eden (Janelle Monáe) getting tortured and branded by a man who looks like a high-ranking Confederate officer played by Eric Lange. The officer later even rapes Eden. And the film takes a sudden twist from there. Just as Eden shuts her eyes in pain, she wakes up in a different time altogether.

She’s now Veronica Henley, a successful academic who writes and talks about the intersection of patriarchy, class, and race. And because of her outspokenness, she is abducted and placed into a horrifying reality where she and other African Americans are forced to work and live as slaves on a Southern plantation on the eve of the Civil War. At long last, after another captive Julia (Kiersey Clemons) dies by suicide after suffering a miscarriage from the torture, Veronica decides that she will have no more.

She and Eli attempt to escape, but in the process, Eli loses his life. An enraged Henley kills several of these wannabe Confederates, before finally escaping her prison, which turns out to be an estate called “Antebellum”, that boasts to be Louisiana’s largest Civil War reenactment park. She escapes the Civil War prison, only to see people -- normal people -- still waving the Confederate flag high. 

Henley’s Kafkaesque nightmare is a powerful commentary on racism, symbols of oppression, and power and is reminiscent, in its style, of Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed horror film, ‘Get Out’. The film takes note of several ongoing topics, especially around the continued usage of Confederate iconography, like the flag and the statues of Robert E. Lee. But what strikes hardest in ‘Antebellum’ is just how it brings to attention subtle themes of cultural assimilation under the guise of a seemingly-ludicrous situation. 

But was the film liked by fans? Several people shared on social media just how much they enjoyed the feature. One Twitter user wrote, “I had to put a pause on work today because my blood pressure was going up, but It was good. Sinister AF.” Another fan of the film wrote, “Just screened #Antebellum & let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised & shook...I hope they don’t get no ideas.” One Twitter user said, “Antebellum is hands down the best movie of 2020! Insanely good, very recommended! :o Mind blowing thriller/horror just like 'get out' and 'us'."

But many found the film not satisfactory at all. In fact, several people seemed to hate it altogether. “#Antebellum is a mess. An absolute mess. And one that makes the viewer sit through some disturbing scenes with little to no payoff. The 'twist' ruins any momentum it had going for it, and I wish films would stop marketing a twist. It ruins the surprise. Stop it,” wrote a Twitter user. Another Twitter user pointed out, “I find it interesting it’s mostly white reviewers slamming #Antebellum yet most African Americans who’ve seen it seem to be loving it. Hilarious since the film is about not needing a white savior and empowering Black women. Take a see white critics. Your outrage isn’t needed.” Some fans also felt that the film’s comparison with ‘Get out’ was unwarranted, “ANTEBELLUM is such a shallow film. It takes no time with its characters and frankly one-dimensional story. It's what Get Out would be if Jordan Peele weren't so damn talented.”

‘Antebellum’ is available for viewing on-demand.