Emperor

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Emperor

PG-13

2020

1h 39m

History

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Fighting his way north to free himself and his family, outlaw slave Shields "Emperor" Green joins forces with abolitionist John Brown for a daring raid in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., in 1859.

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

02/23/2021

2/5

It's merely watchable, a low-stakes contribution to the current renaissance of African American film-making.

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John DeFore

The Hollywood Reporter

08/19/2020

As the film progresses, several cast members look like they'd be more comfortable in a Drunk History short; others just look like they'd be more comfortable working for somebody with experience directing actors.

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Simon Abrams

RogerEbert.com

08/18/2020

1/4

[Emperor] re-presents a dark period in American history without being inspired or insightful enough to be worth your curiosity or emotional investment.

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Tessa Smith

Mama's Geeky

01/09/2021

2/5

a powerful film that is based on the real life story of an escaped slave named Shields Green. However, most of it feels forced and exaggerated.

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Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

09/01/2020

B

Green is an active, charismatic figure as played by [Dayo] Okeniyi, and we're firmly on his side.

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Carey-Ann Pawsey

Orca Sound

08/30/2020

2.5/5

Based on the real life story of an escaped slave named Shields Green, it shows the horrors lived and the bravery shown in their fight for freedom of blacks in the United States.

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Hugo

06/29/2020

Well directed, good actors.

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Mark B

@Astromark 09/30/2023

It's an enjoyable film, but I learnt afterwards about the historical inaccuracies and have to mark it down for that.

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03/18/2022

Did not mind this, the exploits of a run away slave that joins John Brown raid. If you read history the past even abolitionists' called Brown mentally deranged, but history made him into a martyr. That isn't for me to decide but the movie held its own. I should read a little more on Douglas. [I am a conservative, right leaning, Hispanic Republican too]

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tony h

@RT87589402 01/30/2022

Cheap & nasty revisionist history or just Hollywood's refusal to let the facts stand in the way of a rollicking Boys' Own story; -From using the modern day USA flag to failing to explain that the protaganist was actually captured and executed (he was hanged along with the other survivors of the Harper's Ferry incident) whilst imposing some fairy-tale ending to his story, this movie is well worth AVOIDING, even though the true story of its 'Emperor' is well worth knowing.

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tom m

@RT96790832 12/28/2021

Didn't much care for it. The storytelling was below par as was the production value of the film.

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01/01/2021

Confusing at times. Not as inspiring as I'd hoped.

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Mark Amin

Director

Dayo Okeniyi

Shields Green

Naturi Naughton

Sarah Green

Kat Graham

Delores

Mykelti Williamson

Truesdale

James Cromwell

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Emperor: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Fighting his way north to free himself and his family, outlaw slave Shields "Emperor" Green joins forces with abolitionist John Brown for a daring raid in Harpers Ferry, W.Va., in 1859.

Director: Mark Amin
Producer: Reginald Hudlin, Cami Winikoff, Mark Amin
Screenwriter: Mark Amin, Pat Charles
Production Co: Sobini Films, Hudlin Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Racial Epithets|Language|Some Disturbing Images|Violence Throughout)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 18, 2020
Runtime: 1h 39m