EMPEROR

We live in one of the most diverse cities within Michigan. African-Americans live to one side of us, Hispanics to the other, an Indian family is behind us, an Asian household is a few doors down. I regularly see my son and daughter running around the neighborhood carefree with kids from a range of ethnicities, nationalities and religions. We don't see these people as different from us because of how they look but rather just view them as our neighbors.

My kids really didn't grasp the racial inequalities within our country and how ununited people can be throughout the States including here in Michigan. So when Universal Pictures Home Entertainment offered to send us a complimentary DVD of the movie EMPEROR to view, I thought in this time of Black Lives Matter and home schooling it was an opportunity for my children to take a look back at a time where people where treated as property and to think about how that history has resulted in social and economic disparities that still linger today. We departed from our normal family movie nights that tend to be science fiction and superhero adventures and instead watched a film inspired by a true freedom fighter.



EMPEROR is based on the life of Shields "Emperor" Green, a descendant of African kings who was a slave in the pre-Civil War South. Wanting to free his family from slavery, Green escapes north and joins in the daring Harpers Ferry raid by abolitionist John Brown of a military arsenal seeking to gain weapons for a slave revolution. While the raid is defeated by a contingent of federal troops led by then-Colonial Robert E. Lee it further stirs up tensions that eventually lead to North and South into civil war.

The movie's cast is led Dayo Okeniyi (Terminator Genisys / "Shades of Blue") accompanied by Academy Award nominee James Cromwell (The Green Mile), Kat Graham ("The Vampire Diaries'), Mykelti Williamson (Forest Gump), Ben Robson ("Vikings") and Academy Award nominee Bruce Dern (Hateful Eight). The movie is produced by Academy Award nominated filmmaker Reginald Hudlin (Django Unchained) and directed by Mark Amin (Eve's Bayou) from a script by Pat Charles ("Sons of Anarchy").



EMPEROR is available on DVD from Best Buy. If you purchase the movie through a Geek Daddy affiliate link this dad blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your bill. Your support is appreciated!