Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

A United Kingdom Blu-ray Movie Review

Into Africa.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 8, 2017

Loving was one of the more interesting historically based films of the past year or so, offering a sometimes devastating portrayal of interracial marriage in the United States in a time when (incredible as it may seem to us now) such things weren’t just frowned upon, but which were actually illegal. In what might kind of sadly be thought of as “good news”, A United Kingdom makes it clear that the United States wasn’t alone in these tendencies, and in a way, the story this well intentioned if slightly rote feature tells is even more shocking than the one documented in Loving, since its interracial romance involves royalty of an African nation and ultimately also involves some pretty desperate machinating on the part of the actual United Kingdom, which was frantically trying to maintain a dangerous status quo on the African continent, specifically with regard to South Africa, which was in the process of officially instituting apartheid. A United Kingdom ultimately gets to saving grace, if not absolute salvation, but it’s often a rather depressing film, simply because it so clearly shows the kind of despicable tendencies that individuals and indeed whole governments showed during a time when Civil Rights generally were being thrust to the forefront of public consciousness.

One of the interesting ways to identify how old any map you may be referencing might be is to review the names of the nations on the continent of Africa. While borders may shift and even occasional names may change in other areas of the globe (Yugoslavia comes instantly to mind), Africa has been a roiling region where all sorts of changes accrue, sometimes rather rapidly. While it’s currently known as Botswana, that nation's name was only adopted after it achieved independence from Britain in 1966. That very pull for self determination was the result, at least in part, of events depicted in A United Kingdom, even if the actual focus of the story is a “simple” love story between Botswana royal Sir Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) and a “common” English woman named Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike). (It’s interesting to note that this film reverses the races of Loving, with a black male and a white female.) Prior to that name change, the nation was known as Bechuanaland and it was a British protectorate. The film begins in 1947, and for those who pay attention to things happening in the background, there's a quick radio broadcast heard in a scene inside the Williams home referencing another former British colony about to experience its own independence, India, a reference which clearly foreshadows what's in the cards for Bechuanaland itself.

While some of the political shenanigans at play in A United Kingdom are positively shocking (maybe even disgusting), at its core the film is a kind of glossy romance, a “three hankie weeper” of two star-crossed lovers who have to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in order to be together. With that in mind, some of the elisions in Guy Hibbert’s screenplay are perhaps more easily understandable, even if they’re not always supportive of a more full understanding of the context. That’s certainly the case in terms of the early going in the film, in a post-war England that seems positively sanguine about interracial relationships (as evidenced by free “mixed” dancing at various social affairs), until that is a bunch of toughs assault Seretse and Ruth on a foggy London street one evening. Some more detail here might have made for a more nuanced presentation, though the disparity of reactions toward the coupling of these two is evident even within Ruth’s own family, with her sister Muriel (Laura Carmichael, Downton Abbey: The Complete Collection) being supportive, but her father George (Nicholas Lyndhurst) pretty much writing his daughter off.

There’s a bit more consistent (and negative) reaction at official levels in the United Kingdom government, chiefly personified by the snarky and uppity Alistair Canning (Jack Davenport), as well as within Seretse’s own family, chiefly personified by his ultra conservative uncle (and regent in Seretse’s absence) Tshekedi (Vusi Kunene). Once the film journeys to Bechuanaland after its relatively brief London based prelude, the film shifts largely to first detailing Ruth’s attempts to adjust to tribal life, and then, in a truly staggering turn of events, the British exile of Seretse from his own land. (Several other, ostensibly more “trivial”, indignities have already been detailed which may remind some of similar traumas suffered by Gandhi at the hands of the British.)

While there’s arguably too much of a cartoonish aspect to the British villains in particular, the dysfunctions within Seretse’s family are more naturalistically presented and are a major part of why the film ultimately ends up resonating so strongly. Pike, while perhaps a bit too mannered in the early scenes, delivers a rather refreshing take on a woman who quickly realizes she’s unavoidably in love and has to follow her heart, but who then is suddenly presented with a host of unimaginable consequences. Oyelowo offers both reserve and considerable passion as Seretse, and at least two of the emotional high points of the film are incendiary monologues by the would be monarch, who (if these speeches are culled from real life) was amazing prescient about the need for racial harmony and the abolition of concepts like apartheid.

Director Amma Asante tackled another quasi-historical story with racial overtones in the kind of weirdly underappreciated Belle, and she does so again here, arguably to even more consistent effect than she did in that commendable film. A United Kingdom isn't always easy to watch, but it ends up being incredibly worthwhile.

A United Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A United Kingdom is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Once again technical data on the shoot is awfully hard to come by online, but some of the making of snippets seen in some of the supplements included on this disc clearly show an Arri Alexa camera being used for at least part of the shoot. The results here are often gorgeously scenic, albeit sometimes in a surprisingly barren way, with large open vistas with only a lone tree or stray animal to break up the sameness. The opening British sections are often fog enshrouded or otherwise pretty dark and drab, and as such detail levels are occasionally tamped down, something that's increased by some traditional grading toward blue tones. The African sequences tend to be more of a buttery yellow which tends to emphasize the hot and sunny atmosphere, but which also helps to support generally excellent detail and fine detail levels. Director Amma Asante and cinematographer Sam McCurdy play with light sources at times, offering some scenes with slightly blooming whites which tends to add a dreamlike, effulgent atmosphere. Image stability and contrast are both solid and no compression anomalies are encountered.

A United Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

A United Kingdom features a nicely rendered DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, one which is typically rather subtle and which never really calls a lot of attention to itself, but which provides near consistent surround activity courtesy of not just Patrick Doyle's string drenched score, but also some wonderful uses of ethnic music once the couple gets to Africa. Ambient environmental sounds are also especially prevalent in the African scenes. Dialogue is cleanly presented and well prioritized on this problem free track.

A United Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making Of (1080p; 6:19) is pretty standard EPK fare, but with some decent interviews.


• Filming in Botswana (1080p; 6:06) is an interesting piece documenting some of the challenges of the location shoot.


• The Legacy of Seretse and Ruth (1080p; 3:48) is a brief but touching homage to the real life couple behind the story.


• London Film Festival Opening Night Gala Premiere (1080p; 6:08) offers some red carpet footage.


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 2:23)

A United Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Those fond of that old adage "love conquers all" will have a field day with A United Kingdom, for its story is truly stupefying in some of its aspects. That two people could have changed so much simply because they did fall in love and refused to surrender to contemporary dicta about how they should behave is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit under sometimes withering circumstances. The film is just a tad too pat to really go for the emotional gusto, but it's a compelling, involving story with some exotic locations and excellent performances. Technical merits are strong, and A United Kingdom comes Highly recommended.