Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

PG-13

2013

2h 26m

Biography

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

61%

Tomatometer

146 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

The remarkable life of South African revolutionary, president and world icon Nelson Mandela takes center stage. Though he had humble beginnings as a herd boy in a rural village, Mandela became involved in the anti-apartheid movement and co-founded the African National Congress Youth League. His activities eventually led to his imprisonment on Robben Island from 1964 to 1990. In 1994, Mandela became the first president of democratic South Africa.

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Critics Consensus

It might be too respectful to truly soar, but there's no denying Idris Elba's impressive work in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom -- or the inspirational power of the life it depicts.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Sep 5, 2018

It stars Idris Elba, a suitably great and charismatic actor, but even he cannot save this from seeming like a history lesson, as delivered by one of those teachers who can't seem to breathe life into a subject.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 6, 2017

B-

It would have been more compelling had Winnie been the main focus, especially given the number of Mandela films there already have been in recent years. But you can't hate on it to too much; it brought us the remarkable Naomie Harris

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Sep 6, 2017

3/5

What keeps [Mandela: Long Walk] anchored is a towering, Golden Globe-nominated performance from Idris Elba

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Matt Oakes

Silver Screen Riot

Oct 15, 2026

D+

Instead of being a really good chapter of Mandela's life, 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' is little more than the Nelson Mandela Spark Notes.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 19, 2022

2/4

The production lacks depth in favor of its conventional approach to a historical biography and the dutiful veneration of its subject.

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Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Feb 1, 2021

3.5/5

It is Mandela's legacy of love, forgiveness and reconciliation that makes the biggest impression.

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Irene M.

@igawel Feb 21, 2026

Fan of Idris Elba... Learned a lot, especially about Winnie. Wow.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Jan 27, 2026

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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David F

@RT55571476 May 29, 2025

I am a huge fan of Nelson Mandela, as well as Idris Elba. I enjoyed most of the actors and actresses in the film, but I do wish that the lead character felt more to me like Mandela, and less like Elba. The film is well shot, and is very entertaining. There’s not much negative I can say here, I just would have preferred a bit more history and a bit less Hollywood drama.

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john f

@RT84127024 Dec 14, 2022

While Idris Elba is good here (though it may take some time to get used to the makeup as he portrays the elder Mandela), Naomie Harris steals the show as Winnie Mandela.

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MrDonut

@RT75251449 Nov 24, 2022

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is just a pretty good movie. The cinematography, music, and editing are all great here, especially Idris Elba's performance. As someone who is unfamiliar with the true events, I could say that I did find this film quite interesting. However I think the story here could be told a bit better, some of the pasting moves quite fast so it makes it hard to really connect with the characters or actually stay invested in the story.

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Jul 25, 2022

Routinely structured while sensibly honoring the subject's impactful humane power at main points with broader elliptical distances as progresses humbly but evolved self-contradicting without shedding further light reflectively on that deflective fact. Ideally powerful with indecisive length at seemingly limited settlement, but mainly strengthened by the powerhouse performances particularly Harris and Elba's terrific portrayals. (B)

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Justin Chadwick

Director

Idris Elba

Nelson Mandela

Naomie Harris

Winnie Mandela

Tony Kgoroge

Walter Sisulu

Riaad Moosa

Ahmed Kathrada

Jamie Bartlett

James Gregory

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Synopsis

The remarkable life of South African revolutionary, president and world icon Nelson Mandela takes center stage. Though he had humble beginnings as a herd boy in a rural village, Mandela became involved in the anti-apartheid movement and co-founded the African National Congress Youth League. His activities eventually led to his imprisonment on Robben Island from 1964 to 1990. In 1994, Mandela became the first president of democratic South Africa.

Director: Justin Chadwick
Producer: Anant Singh, David M. Thompson
Screenwriter: William Nicholson
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Videovision Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Strong Language|Intense Sequences of Violence|Sexual Content)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.3M
Runtime: 2h 26m

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