Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Adapted from Nelson Mandela's 1995 autobiography, this handsome but prosaic life story of the great South African statesman is fortunate to pivot on a performance of controlled grace from the statuesque Idris Elba. British director Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) capably marshals the crowd scenes (and is evidently aiming for the historical grandeur of Gandhi or Lawrence of Arabia), but, even at two-and-a-half hours, the film's 50-year span - from anti-apartheid activism to high office - feels episodic. Even Mandela's extended spell in prison receives cursory coverage. Despite the authenticity of location, a local cast and a nuanced performance from Naomie Harris (as Winnie Mandela), any deeper understanding of Mandela the man - his eye for the ladies; the move from civil disobedience to terror tactics - is undermined by facile recourse to newsreel to fill in the gaps. In terms of contemporary political biopics, Chadwick's well-intentioned drama lacks the focused depth of Lincoln and has more in common with the "Greatest Hits" style of The Iron Lady.