There are hardly ever any in-betweens when it comes to events of history being made into a movie. It’s either it goes amazingly well or it becomes an epic failure. Hardly any middles. So I thought to myself, why don’t I get the good ones. Of course, there will be another section to this where I bring to you historical movies that were epic fails, in my opinion. But for today, let’s dive into these three which many of us may, or may not already know the history of.
Titanic (1997)
I know. We’re beginning with the most obvious one of all. Titanic that is based on the account of the sinking RMS Titanic of 1912, tells the story from the singular point of view of Jack, a talented artist and Rose who is being forced to marry a wealthy man. Aboard the unsinkable Titanic, they find true love in each other, howbeit temporary. I picked Titanic because even though it’s a blend of fiction and actual history, the way Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet interpreted their roles, together with the pacing of the script, is what makes it an epic historical representation on TV.
Apocalypto (2006)
Produced and directed by Mel Gibson and set in Yucatán around the year 1517, Apocalyptic is an epic historical action-adventure film that portrays the life of the young hunter, Jaguar Paw and his fellow tribesmen who are captured by invading forces. As the Mayan kingdom faces decline and following the destruction of their village, these men are taking to a world ruled by darkness, fear and oppression. This was one of the early historical films I watched that affected me deeply. In no way drab and laced with emotion, it felt only right to be included in this list.
The Woman King (2022)
Set in the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th century, features the Agojie, which is an all-female warrior unit that protected the kingdom of Dahomey against opposing forces. Viola Davis stars as the lead general who sets to train the new generation of female warriors on how to fight their enemies. The movie is based on a story written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello. I included it because of the sheer sense of grit, resilience and courage that portrayed raw facts in a sensational way. Appealed to me in an unimaginable way
And there you have it. My top picks for the week. These movies are all personal, in a way, to me. Or maybe it’s cause I shed a few tears watching them, who knows? Haha. There may be another part to this, of course that is after I give the worst historical film representations, in my opinion. So, stay tuned for that and hope you enjoy this one!