Oscars 2017: 20 Predicted Best Film Nominees Ranked Worst To Best

Were it not for the revelation of Nate Parker's background, Birth Of A Nation might still be sailing on the crest of the same Oscar assurance wave that greeted it when it was bought for a record amount after Sundance. Whether it ever actually deserved that much credit remains a divisive issue however, because it's hard not to feel during it that it's never quite as good as it's supposed to be.

It's in no way a terrible film, but it's just not as assured as the early hype seemed to suggest it would be. The cruelest crime is that the powerful, important story is somewhat undermined by the director's technical decisions that distract from it. There is a wild difference between some of the most gorgeous scenes and others that feel like they simply weren't given the same care and attention, as well as some simply dire editing. It's almost like the story wasn't just given room to tell itself.

None of that detracts from Parker's performance as Nat Turner, which is phenomenal, but the film really is a tale of a fledgling director getting somewhat in his own way with quirks he will hopefully iron out. It might still pick up some attention from the Academy, but it's probably far less likely now, given the bad water that's passed under the bridge.