Amistad

Green's Mighty Review goes something like this:

Set in 1839, "Amistad" is based on the true story of a group of African captives on their way to the Americas to become slaves when they rebel against their captors, kill most of them and seize the ship in order to sail back to their homeland. The ship is soon seized by the United States Navy and brought to America where the captives are put on trial for murdering the crew of the Amistad. Instead, the trial becomes a battle for their very freedom as men and women instead of runaway slaves. Complicating matters for their defense, the captives do not speak any English.

Djimon Hounsou gives a commanding and emotional performance as Cinque, a tribal leader of the Africans, who speaks for and represents the prisoners in their trials. Matthew McConaughey competently plays Baldwin, the compassionate Abolitionist lawyer who represents the captives in their first trial. Anthony Hopkins again gives an excellent performance in the minor role of John Quincy Adams, who speaks in favor of the captives when their appealed case comes before the US Supreme Court. The cast also includes Morgan Freeman, David Paymer, Stellan Skarsgard, Nigel Hawthorne and Pete Postlethwaite.

This was director Steven Spielberg's directorial debut for Dreamworks SKG and as usual, he does an excellent job telling this story, milking it for all the drama he possibly can. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards- Best Supporting Actor (Hopkins), Best Music, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography.

"Amistad" has a running time of 2 hours 35 minutes which seems long because of the necessary plot exposition at the beginning of the film. The film drags in places but for the most part is a very watchable film.

***½ out of *****

SCRIBEY's BIG BLUE REVIEW:

This one of those movies I resisted seeing for reasons that should be rather obvious. Spending two and a half hours watching one side of my ancestry endure horrible suffering and injustice is difficult to say the least. Unlike some groups of people, I don’t get off on watching my forebears get tortured and murdered on the big screen.

However, Green’s list must be obeyed and I am but his humble & loyal servant. Besides, I knew for sure I could find it at my local library pretty much any time I wanted. Thus I devoted one Friday morning to watching one of the most depressing films I’ve seen in years.

I chose not to fact check this one, but I seem to remember reading at the time of its release that the Morgan Freeman character was added as a way of softening the brutal reality of the storyline. That would explain why he seems so hopelessly out of place in an otherwise well-crafted film, despite his good performance.

Following the journey of a by then illegal slave ship of Spanish origin, Amistad is the tale of a semi-successful slave uprising during which the captives literally threw off the yoke of their oppressors and killed all but two members of the crew. For a while, it seems as though they might actually make it back to Africa. Unfortunately, a brief stopover to pick up provisions and water attracts the attention of an American naval vessel that winds up seizing the ship and its would-be slaves. The scene of one slave swimming toward the sun in a last desperate attempt to get home is one of the most heart-breaking moments ever filmed.

The capturing of the Spanish vessel results in the 19th century equivalent of a media frenzy as well as a potential international incident as the issue of proprietary rights and international law comes into play. Naturally, the Africans are caught in the middle. What results is a lot of cultural ignorance on both sides and courtroom drama galore. The acting is exemplary on everyone’s part, including the often uneven Anthony Hopkins as a not quite senile former President John Quincy Adams.

Spielberg, never one of my favorite directors, is undeniably gifted when it comes to evoking imagery and getting great performances out of actors who are generally comfortable walking through their roles. And since his transformation from popcorn flick wonder-kid to serious issues movie maker, Spielberg has learned a thing or two about evoking darker emotions.

I’m not sure this was Oscar caliber material, but not all good movies are.

**** out of *****