User reviews

First, I admit I don't remember seeing the first Roots. I may have when I was young but I don't remember it and I've never read the book so I came into the story with no presuppositions. Even though this is a work of fiction (that Mr Haley apparently plagiarized) it is a work of fiction based in historical fact. Like many incredible works of literature or film the thread of the story may be fiction but it's set in a very real period in history.

All that to say, I'm astonished by some of the reviews on this board. It seems some want a polished up version of history, a Gone With the Wind version that is still ugly if you look close enough at the nuances of the story. The truth is, humans were stolen from their homes and the only world they had ever known or seen and then their traffickers sold them like they were livestock or furniture or maybe even less. They had no rights and every single thing - especially their dignity - was stripped from them. They were dropped into a world they didn't understand or recognize, without even the fortune of common language. This isn't some made up perspective to suit the politics of Black Lives Matter or anything else, it is fact.

If a movie were set in the early 1940's in Germany and the story was about a Jewish family who were actually treated decently by their "Christian" jailers while they were living in a concentration camp, that showed some good sides to the camp as well, everyone would RIGHTFULLY be appalled. But here? No, it seems some want to polish up this ugly stain of American history and call it decoration rather than what it was - horrific.

Okay, so now that I got that off my chest... I found myself crying through many parts of this miniseries and gripped by the injustices at every step. I wanted some happy endings too but only because I was drawn in and rooting for the main characters, but I also realize that happy endings rarely happened during this era for Africans and African Americans and as they rarely had control over their own lives they must have had to deal with the emptiness of unfinished stories, unanswered questions, the sickness of not knowing what happened to their loved ones when they were stolen or violated or sold off. As the viewer I felt that pain and I empathized with the main characters. The apathy and sometimes hatred coming from the slave owners and traders and the way one sin would lead to another and to another so even those with some sense of decency were quick to treat black people as less than and not equal to as soon as they felt threatened or to feel better about their standing in society. This Roots was more The Kitchen House than Gone with the Wind, as viewers we benefit from that fact.

The production and settings were gorgeous and the actors were as well. I thought this was a beautiful telling of a most terrible time.

Based on Alex Haley's 'Roots', this chronicles Alex's heritage from the Mandinka warrior Kunta Kinte who was born in 1750 Juffure, west Africa. The Mandinka kept slaves but the English brought gold and guns. Greed and revenge sends Kunta on a slave ship to America. Despite a slave revolt on the ship, he is sold in 1767 Annapolis. He and his descendants struggle under slavery all the way to Chicken George. George is the son of Tom Lea who raped his mother. He trained chicken to fight for his gambling master Tom. The mini-series ends with George who fights in the Civil War and his family being freed after the war.

The acting is tremendous. The production is terrific considering it's a TV show. There are plenty of big names and familiar faces. The new faces don't seem out of place. Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page play the young leads in their respective time periods. They really shine. There is no weak acting from the main actors. The story does feel compressed from time to time as it skips through various time periods. It's an ambitious undertaking and it mostly pulls it off.

The Roots reboot (it's not a remake) was such an amazing piece of television that, despite several users' reviews, was (sadly) historically accurate. Decades of additional research has gone into slavery since the original Roots which allows for a more historically accurate depiction of slavery, although that means it's not necessarily as true to Alex Haley's book (a fair trade-off, if you ask me). Regardless, it is a compelling piece of storytelling based on the facts of the US's shameful past.

That said, some of the negative reviews on here are stunning in their idiocy. My two favorite being the one who asks why there's no depiction of the "good Christian slave owner" and the one who claims there are historical inaccuracies and claims the fact that he "lives with a black woman" as proof that he is an expert on the subject. Basically, what I'm saying is that you should take that 7.whatever overall rating with a grain of salt. Pretty sure the rating for this miniseries should be nearer a 9 overall.

I absolutely love this version of Roots. Its unfortunate that some reviewers of this program refuse to understand the basic fact that there are no good or bad kidnappers - only bad. The act of kidnapping does not allow for some to claim a moral high ground because you provide "small kindnesses." This version of ROOTS is similar to the stories my grandparents told me. Africans were not grateful for small favors - they wanted their freedom. What is undeniable is that all white people profited from this filthy trade in human beings - even the abolitionist. Some abolitionist were honest enough to admit this simple truth.

I wish this version of ROOTS appeared on basic channels so that more people, particularly non- cable watchers could have learned about the resistance of Africans to kidnapping and oppression. Bravo to the producers of this version of Roots!

Such a delight! Both my young daughters we're able to follow and stay interested; now they both have lots of questions about American history... Very nicely re-made. Hopefully now they will be interested in watching the original (although not in HD), or they will ask to actually read the book.

Oldest daughter is currently in APUSH and concerned about the lack of quality information regarding this period of time. My youngest tends to be in denial about this era, as she can't quite understand cruelty amongst people, in general. This was a great way to introduce her to this country's past (and maybe explain how it relates to the present).

Both my husband and I have watched the 1st 3 installments to this miniseries. We both had seen the 1977 version, and although some changes have been made...the story still haunts us. I have always felt a deep emotion to any stories of slavery and till this day I still cannot understand why the color of our skin can cause such emotion in people.My heart has been heavy these past few days as the hardships this family endured is beyond bravery, beyond restraint, beyond compassion.... It is a reminder of not only what happened in North America, but what happens all over the world ....people thinking they own another human being...

I will never ever forget this miniseries, it stayed with me from 1977 and this version will stay with me till I die....Perhaps I will be still around to see equality, passion and love for all human beings, no matter the color of their skin.

The acting of the whole new cast is beyond words....so believable.

xx

This show is absolutely brilliant. It really shows America's sad and dark history with slavery. The beginning sort of reminded me of the Amistad movie starring Djimon Hounsou and Anthony Hopkins, the gore violence and details really showed how people back then lived like mere products simply because of their skin color. I especially liked how it shows the lives of these slaves back in their homeland from where they were kidnapped from; the lives they once had but were ripped apart from at no warning. It's a part in history no one likes remembering, a part in history we'd all rather forget than remember. Movies and shows like these are very violent and filled with so much gore details, but it is a remembrance of the hard reality people once faced, lived, and died in.

Back in 1977 alex haley and the cast changed the face of television and the world by introducing the miniseries roots featuring great acting and great storytelling, now it's been rebooted and it's great once again, it's a story about slavery and true honesty, Laurence fishbourne, forest whitaker and the rest of them including newcomer Malachi Kirby are all standouts in this one, brilliant characterization, brilliant teleplay and everything else was magnificent, you know television these days have become terrible that we need a reboot of a classic and this is a classic right, this reboot of roots is definitely the years best TV and perhaps the year's most controversial and I Give it my highest rating A+

The original was a very powerful and moving series, so I expected this one to be similar. The new version was powerful, the actors both male and female, young and old were excellent. The scenery and photography were spot on. That's the good, now the not so good.

The gore content was more than needed, yes we needed to know about the cruelty and harshness of the times but did we really need to see it in such graphical detail.

As for each character, no sooner are they born but they die/removed from the story line. This was especially true of Kizzy, her story was just an afterthought it was so brief. In the original series you got to know and love each character, in this new series you just don't get the time.

I know Roots is about Alex Hayley and his ancestry but this new series comes across as though the other families via marriages are totally irrelevant. I think I'm right in saying only one non-Kinte gets a mention. Whereas in the original series the whole Haley ancestors are just ordinary men and women fighting to be free. This new series paints them all as near super-heroes, with Chicken-George being the one with most powers.

This is a good series and worth watching but seriously too brief and suffers for that.

Anyone that does not care for remakes will automatically give this a thumbs down, but I can guarantee you, they went into this remake for the wrong reasons with the wrong ideas. This remake was meant to touch on subjects that could not be told or shown in the original because of those times, and I do believe they did a tremendous job. Every actor in this series told each story quite well, and I most certainly loved how they encouraged you to take these DNA tests during advertisement to find out who you are. There are so many "not another slave movie" fanatics now, that if they had watched this movie, I believe they would be very ashamed that they would have said it. The movie/story was not made to get you angry as tough as it was to watch, but it was meant to inspire, to teach us not to complain, and to be better. Our ancestors had a very tough time, but through it all still managed to love one another and stick together, even when they had to be separated, but here we are "not wanting to be reminded". A+ for the production. The screenplay was on point, and I will be adding the movie to my collection, and encourage younger people not to be ashamed and always find strength from any situation you face

I watched the original in my 20s, and I remember how shocking and great the impact was. I don't think this new version can compare to the original Roots. The acting was not good. It felt rushed, and so many important details were left out, as if to get it produced and on the screen as quickly as possible. There were only four episodes. I didn't feel that we got to know and "feel" the characters enough to care about them. The only actor that did an excellent job of portraying some emotion was Forest Whitaker, who is an astounding actor. I was eagerly anticipating this new version, but was very disappointed in it. I expected so much better from the History Channel.

I've never seen Roots. I have little knowledge about the slave era, since I am born in the 90s in Norway. I know the basics.

This show had me in all kinds of knots. It was horrible, and by that I mean the plot, and made even worse by the fact that this is a true story. I cried so much. This show had my full attention from the first minute until the last, and that RARELY happens.

The acting is great. I'm crushing on Kunta Kinte now.

This is a amazing show, it will show a new generation (my generation) how it was like before. How bad it can be when we don't respect each other.

Roots truly was wonderful and horrible at the same time. I really recommend it.

This has just aired on the BBC in the UK and I've watched all four episodes over the last couple of evenings where I purely found it by chance.

I remember the original series way back many years ago and loved it then. This adaption is purely amazing. You are placed right in the scene of the families who were the slaves. It is never nice to imagine what happened but this is such an eye opener as to how life would have been and I'm sure that the worst was never covered.

If you are someone who likes these types of historical programs with possibly a fictional side then this will be perfect for you.

With it all finished it just makes you realise how lucky we are in this world today were we worry about such petty things like what to cook for tea or the TV is playing up. Such simple things we take for granted .

Hi, my name is Sacha, I'm 16 years old, I'm a french guy from Angers. I like watching History movies. Before I watch Roots, I though it was boring movie, without epic or moving scenes. The movie is about Kunta Kinte, the main character, who is captured by an african rival clan, and gave to British; we follow his history from Africa to The United States where he is sold.

During the movie, Malacky Kirby and Forest Whitaker are awesome, their acting is very interesting and moving, they managed to transmit strong emotions, by their faces, how they speak. Ht emovie was realized Will Packer and Marc Toberoff in 2016. In general, I find the movie is well realized, but there are a little of low scene, a little boring.There are period where it's a little low. In return, the soundtrack is just amazing! The traditional songs are awesome, they are moving, they beautify the scenes. For me Roots is a wonderful, fabulous, moving and beautiful movie, but also with some slow scenes and a little boring. The African culture is incredibly well done. Finally I recommend this movie, I hope you'll like it.

I've just watched the final episode on my Virgin catch up box. The series was powerful and moving about the struggle against unthinking racial or tribal oppression, the ease with which a dominant culture assumes it has all the true values and the ways in which those who have power and authority justify any means they have to retain their position.

I watched the original series when it was first broadcast and remember it as being good but not it having this impact on me. I don't know if that reflects the relative merits of the two series or my journey an almost thirty something who hadn't lived in the US to being almost 70 and having lived in/visited the US for about 4 years.

As someone who loves both the US and the UK for the good they can and sometimes have done, it seems all too relevant to what is happening in President Trump's America with its demonisation of the different, the stranger and the disadvantaged. Sadly it's relevant also to the UK dominated by a government in thrall to the powerful, which rewards the rich with more riches and takes from the poor and disabled, with a pitiful opposition, a country that has rejected its own best interests by stupidly deciding to sever its links with the EU.

Roots ends on a positive note. I hope that our two great countries also come through this dreadful period and move back soon to being examples of the shining city on the hill instead of showing how badly countries can get it wrong.

My name is Bilal and I am 15 years old. Last week I watched the first episode of « Roots » a série realised by « History ». I thought this série would be like other documentary about slavery but I was wrong. This episode gave me a lot of emotions. To begin the way whose it filmed make it very realistic. We have the feeling to be in place of the main character who be catch and torture. In addition there are beatifull soundtracks and they play an essential job in the storyline. On the other hand I find some scene could be too violent for sensitive people. Otherwise I think there are not many places in film I was disappointed. To finish I am impatient to watch next episodes and I recommend you this amazing série if you want to know more about the conditions of the slave trade.

Roots is a noteworthy movie about slavery. It is noteworthy because it is really realistic, the African culture is well showed, as well as the cruelty of the kidnappers, black or white. But, because it is so realistic about the bad treatment that white people inflict to the slaves, it's also bloody and sometimes gory, I have no problem with that but some people does. Compared to what I expected, it was way more moving, the actions scene are captivating. So captivating that when it slow down to a calm scene, it become boring. To talk about technical things, the actors are awesome, we can see plenty of emotions and that make the movie a even more epic. But some time emotion scenes, as well play as they are, take too long, maybe it is because of me being a 16 years old teenager interested more in action scene, but I find them boring. There are fine soundtracks, and there are not a lot of special effect, so I have nothing more to say about that. To conclude, Roots was a quite valuable movie, despite the long emotion scene. Some scene were bloody but no big deal. I advice you to watch it if you got some time, it was a good moment watching it.

Hello, I'm maxime, I'm a french student in first years of high school in Chevrollier in Angers. I do this review because I have seen «The Roots»,For me is a pretty successful film franchise. Is a amazin shooting. For me what i had the biggest is most violent. This moment were kunta kite escape plantation is short for me. They actors plays really fantastic their rolent.

What to make of this much-heralded remake of the Alex Haley classic? It has a lot going for it - a starry cast led by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Malachi Kirby, Forrest Whittaker and Lawrence Fishburne; atmospheric photography Peter Menzies jr. and Sharone Meir; and an authentic production design by Ida Random, David Barkham and Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson.

Yet the overall impression of this four-parter is one of blandness; a sense that the directors Bruce Beresford, Phillip Noyce, Mario van Peebles and Thomas Carter are simply retelling the story without any feeling for its historical significance. There are too many dramatic set-pieces strongly reminiscent of TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE, especially when the African American characters are assaulted by their white masters, while the settings (a plantation; the white slave-owner's house; the cattle-market) are shot in such a way - using bright light accompanied by atmospheric music - as to encourage the belief that we are watching a pared-down version of the Steve McQueen film.

The narrative lumbers on throughout each episode, with a pronounced lack of dramatic incident. The directors seem to have been so concerned with atmosphere (or lack thereof), that they have not really encouraged the actors to flesh out their roles. Too often we see performers simply going through the motions of performing with little concern for historical verisimilitude.

This is a real shame, because the idea to remake ROOTS seemed in principle to be such a good one, as a way of reminding viewers that the racial conflicts taking place in the antebellum United States have still not been resolved today. What a shame, therefore, that the creative personnel involved in this miniseries failed to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.