The Hurricane

Thirty-three years after In the Heat of the Night, veteran director Norman Jewison tackles bigotry and prejudice again in this true story of racial injustice. Oscar nominee Denzel Washington stars as Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, the boxer who was framed for three murders and sentenced to three life terms. Bob Dylan wrote a song about the case and countless petitions were organised on his behalf., but it took a teenage boy named Lesra Martin (Vicellous Reon Shannon) to liberate Carter after 19 years of wrongful imprisonment. Washington initially makes Carter a prickly, uncooperative character, but his gradual progression from hate-filled loner to dignified role model packs a powerful punch.

Washington's performance helps lift this often plodding biopic out of the ordinary, but its clumsy construction diminishes its impact.