loading...
Based on actual events in 1838, AMISTAD is the story of captured African slaves who took over their transport ship in a bloody revolt with the hopes of returning back to their homeland. After the slaves are caught and imprisoned, their leader, Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), unable to understand the language or court system of America,.. Read more
| Starring | Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey, Nigel Hawthorne, Arliss Howard |
|---|---|
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Genres | Drama |
loading...
Based on actual events in 1838, AMISTAD is the story of captured African slaves who took over their transport ship in a bloody revolt with the hopes of returning back to their homeland. After the slaves are caught and imprisoned, their leader, Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), unable to understand the language or court system of America, tries to communicate his desire to return home to his defense lawyer, Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey), and former slave Theodore Joadson (Morgan Freeman). The men plead for help with their groundbreaking court case from former president John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins). Steven Spielberg directed this moving film, using as a reference the book by William A. Owens, BLACK MUTINY: THE REVOLT ON THE SCHOONER AMISTAD. The Africans in the movie speak Mende, with subtitles added. West African actor Djimon Hounsou had to learn to speak the language for his role--and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Spielberg shot the film at the State House in Providence, Rhode Island, the seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, and other New England locations.
| Starring | Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey, Nigel Hawthorne, Arliss Howard, Tomas Milian, Austin Pendleton, Paul Guilfoyle, Geno Silva, Jeremy Northam, Xander Berkeley, Victor Rivers, Darren E. Burrows, Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Von Bargen |
|---|---|
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Studio | 4 FRONT VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 28 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | German |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 18 Apr 2005 Production year: 1997 |
| Format | DVD |
In 1839, a shipload of slaves heading for America overpower their captors, killing all but two crew members needed to navigate them back to Africa. Betrayed, intercepted and charged with murder, the slaves' only hope for justice lies with the Abolitionist movement and an inexperienced lawyer. In this lengthy courtroom drama, director Steven Spielberg fails to ignite the same moral outrage his Schindler's List poignantly evoked, despite an all-star cast, an amazing debut by Djimon Hounsou (playing the slaves' leader) and moments of pure visual poetry. Although flawed, this chilling portrayal of outright racism further reveals Spielberg's skill as an expert film-maker unafraid of tackling heavy political issues.
Earnest and dogged, well meaning but too often dramatically inert, this tells a true story from a white viewpoint, in which the slaves remain exotic accessories to the real conflict, which takes place in courtrooms.
A movie that deals with the conflict between the rule of law and the wishes of politicians. Dull? Not at all. Watch this and see how much, or how little, has changed over the years.
Excellent performances all round from established stars and newcomers alike, though Morgan Freeman's character could have been developed more.
Enormously watchable and highly recommended!
I remember watching this a few years ago and it still waters the eye to remember it. The full horror is given to you here leaving nothing to the imagination of the hell the slaves had to go through in times gone by.
With films based on fact like Munic, Schindlers list and Amistad its plain to see that Speilberg has done a great job in keeping the heros of the past fresh in our minds.
Sir Anthony Hopkins is to play revered author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway in a new movie, directed by Andy Garcia. The Welsh actor, who has played real-life figures in Nixon, Surviving Picasso, Amistad and The World's Fastest Indian, will play Hemingway in independent movie Hemingway & Fuentes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Garcia co-wrote the script with Hemingways niece, author Hilary Hemingway. He will star opposite Hopkins - as fishing-boat captain Gregorio Fuentes, who... Read more
KEN DIGWEED (40)
52.4% from 4 members
