“Harriet” provides audiences with a cursory overview of an American icon. I can appreciate Hollywood’s recent film productions focused on Black historical and social narratives because it allows broader audiences to easily consume content rather than, say, visiting a museum or reading a biography.

However, “Harriet” feels like a Lifetime movie of Moses‘ life—a little too ‘paint-by-numbers’ for me. Cynthia Erivo is spectacular as Harriet Tubman, and in everything I’ve seen her in. I think she shines here. Such a talent! There are moments when I can tell she added an extra sprinkle to the character that probably wasn’t in the screenplay.

But anyway, my issue with the film lies in two main elements: how the film was scored (not necessarily the score itself), and the screenplay. Each actor does their duty, but I missed an emotional connection between words spoken and its impact to the narrative. There was a lack of power behind the words and in her urgency to escape. No punch or something. Something was off, bruh. Human slavery was traumatic. So escaping and traveling North from Maryland to Philadelphia by foot using a river and a star had to have been an unimaginable feat for a 5-foot tall runaway. And yet, I didn’t get that immediate sense of fear in her journey. While I agree there didn’t need to be a 30-minute block of a two-hour film showcasing all the challenges in her voyage, I was hoping for that specific imagery the drive home how unimaginable her journey was. And then that she did it over and over again until she freed hundreds of slaves.

So, the score—usually music accompanying a scene helps supplement the actions and emotions conveyed. Unfortunately for “Harriet,” the score attempts to drive the emotion of the scene. While I didn’t mind the music selected—mainly hard piano and strings—there were instances when the addition of the score did not feel authentic and came off as filler to transition from scene-to-scene.

If I’m not mistaken, this is Hollywood’s first Harriet Tubman biopic, and for that I say “Thank You,” and it took y’all long enough. This was not an overly spectacular, life-changing film for me, though Tubman’s story deserves all praise. She’s a hero, an icon, and should be regarded as such for the rest of time. While the budget for this film wasn’t that far off from that of “12 Years a Slave,” “Harriet’s” cinematography, editing, screenplay, acting, and directing reminded me more of Nate Parker’s 2016 film “The Birth of a Nation” (2016) about the Nat Turner rebellion. I hope the last few scenes of this film highlighting Tubman’s military work as a spy during the Civil War and freeing 750+ slaves is elevated in another film in the future. She’s a superhero.