Amistad

Rating:
Summary: Amistad, not to forget, a movie to see
Review: One of Spielberg's finer films, Amistad is actually based on a true story about the human beings right or lack of to live free. The movie started out on a slave ship when the Africans that had been enslaved broke free and revolted. After being mislead by the two Spanish survivors, the Africans landed on American soil. Their landing then ensued one of the most controversial and historically significant series of court battles in the United States history.
Spielberg does an excellent job portraying the struggle for the Africans freedom. With some nice shots and some good actors the movie does the struggle over the Amistad some good justice. Speaking of actors, Djimon Hounsou does a superb job acting as the reluctant leader of the Africans. Also, Matthew McConaughey does an equally excellent job as the first lawyer for the Africans. Although I tend to dislike Spielberg, he made a movie which all should see. A nice 4 out of 5 star job.

Rating:
Summary: Not a classic, but worth seeing
Review: "Amistad" is based on facts about a historical event in which a lot of blacks are kept hostage as slaves on a ship called La Amistad. Once the slaves reach the United States, they end up going to court to see whether they will be killed, sold as slaves, or returned to where they live. With the help of a good lawyer (Matthew McConaughey), President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins), and faith, the slaves, led by Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), might be slaves no more.

As soon as I saw the stellar cast that was in "Amistad" and that it was made by Steven Spielberg, I couldn't wait to see this movie. It is a good movie based on real historical events, but when compared to Steven Spielberg's previous masterpieces, "Amistad" isn't as good as it could've been. It's one of the very few Steven Spielberg movies that hasn't been dubbed as a classic by just about everyone that has seen the movie. But even though it might have come on one of Spielberg's off days, it's still a good movie. The best things about it are the good acting, its stellar cast, and its realistic approach to history. It also has a great speech by Anthony Hopkins toward the end of the movie.

I recommend anybody who likes movies that are based on history to at least watch "Amistad."

Rating:
Summary: Amistad---Engaging And Important Viewing
Review: "In a courtroom, whoever tells the best story wins," says former President John Quincy Adams in this historical drama about a slave-ship rebellion and its aftermath. The same is true of movies. In this harrowing epic, Spielberg concentrates on the story that viewers most want to see: about who the desperate men and women on that slave ship are and how they, or at least one of them, got there.

The tale Amistad tells is a true one. In 1839 a group of Africans staged a bloody takeover of the Amistad, on which they were traveling as human cargo. They were subsequently captured off the New England coast and put on trial for the murder of the ship's crew.

After a long journey through the courts, abetted by behind-the-scenes string-pulling against the Africans, by President Martin Van Buren, their case ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court, where the elderly Adams argued on their behalf.

This neglected episode of American history has also inspired an opera, again titled Amistad, which opened in Chicago, as well as the 1989 novel Echo of Lions, by Barbara Chase-Riboud, who had filed a copyright infringement suit against Spielberg and DreamWorks Pictures, the movie's production studio.

Touching on issues of race, politics and human rights that resonate today, this is potent stuff.

Rating:
Summary: powerful, powerful film
Review: A film by Steven Spielberg

"Amistad" is a fact based account of a 1839 revolt by African slaves on the slaveship La Amistad, and the legal trial in the United States over what exactly should be done with them after they were rescued (and imprisoned) on American soil. "Amistad" was Spielberg's first serious work since "Schindler's List" (not counting "Jurassic Park 2" which was also released in 1997), and it should be counting among the best movies of 1997. It is a powerful film.

The central story is that of the African slaves. The movies focuses on one particular slave, Cinque (Djimon Honsou), so that we have someone to be interested in, and so that the human story of their experiences can be told. They were able to overthrow the slavers while on the slave ship, but their captive was able to sail them to America rather than back to Africa. Upon arrival in America, the slaves are promptly captured by American soldiers and imprisoned until their status can be ascertained. As the lawyer for the Africans, Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) says in the movie, "it is a matter of property." Who owns the slaves? The soldiers who captured the slaves claim ownership as salvage. The slavers claim ownership citing a legal purchase of the slaves in Cuba. The government of Spain claims ownership. The Africans say they are free men. Who owns the slaves? Are they legal property? This central question is what the movie revolves around and works towards answering. We learn the answer early in the movie, but the question is what can Baldwin prove before the courts, and will the courts listen to him?

Steven Spielberg did a good job in showing that this was not just a case of the white man jumping and rescuing the black man. That did exist here, but Spielberg showed just how central and important Cinque was, how his actions and his words were what helped the case for the Africans the most. All the while, Baldwin and Joadson (Morgan Freeman), a freed slave, are entreating former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) to become an advocate on behalf of the Africans.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a very powerful film. There is an extended sequence were Spielberg shows the experience of the slave ship and it is so horrible that I don't think I can put words to it. While "Amistad" may not rank quite as high as "Schindler's List" or "Saving Private Ryan" on the list of great movies, this is an excellent movie that deals with a subject usually ignored. This is a slower paced film, with more time spend talking and in the courtroom, but it is a very good one, too.

Rating:
Summary: Serious stuff
Review: A good serious movie about slavery. On the one hand, I like the level of realism shown in the capture and subsequent fate of a group of African men. On the other hand, the characters of the enslaved warriors doesn't receive the same level of realism, and I felt like there wasn't a bad soul among them. The few action scenes, notably an escape attempt in the opening, are handled with the usual Spielberg masterful touch. However, the bulk of the movie is talky and slow-moving, with a lot of heavy-handed moralism. It made me feel really awful about slavery, and gives you a real sense of the transition between their lives of freedom in Africa, and their captivity. In modern society, too much focus is put on American blacks after slavery; the stereotypes of the poorly educated negro are enduring, but the proud ancestry of black americans goes back further.

Rating:
Summary: An Powerful well made Drama.
Review: A Spanish Slave Ship named "La Amistad", When the Ship Captains were murdered by a African Tribe, which they are innocent. A idealistic lawyer (Matthew McConaughey replaying his role from A Time To Kill) defend them for thier freedom, while batting the American Judical System.

Directed by Four Time Oscar-Winner:Steven Spielberg (Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws) has made himself a more successful film-which is based on a True Story than he did with the Underappciated "Empire of the Sun". Terrific Performance by Djimon Hounsou as the Lead Slave. Fine Performances by Morgan Freeman, Oscar-Winner:Anthony Hopkins (In a Oscar Nominated Role), Nigel Hawthorne, Stellan Sarsgard, Oscar-Winner:Anna Paquin, David Paymer and Pete Postlethwaite. Also Oscar Nominated for Three Different Oscars including:Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Music Score. This is one of Spielberg`s most underrated films, it`s a fine historial drama. Arliss Howard appears Unbilled. Grade:A-.

Rating:
Summary: A spectacular adaptation of a remarkable story.
Review: A spectacular adaptation of a remarkable story. The use of language as the key to the plot is most intriguing. I do have one suggestion. C'est vraiment dommage! One of the greatest films in the Amazon.com DVD Collection has no French soundtrack or closed captions. Anyone who has learned English as a second language in the US in recent years will tell you how helpful closed captions on TV have been as a learning tool. Teachers of French would love to see this be routinely adopted as an industry standard. My fear is that the movie industry will pass up a unique opportunity to participate in public learning of foreign languages. By the way, isn't it actually against the law in Canada not to include the French? Shouldn't Region 1- (US and Canada only) encoding ALWAYS include French sound and French closed captions- not only as a courtesy and an added value, easy to include-but to comply with Canadian law? Otherwise, a truly great film in a wonderful format!

Rating:
Summary: Great history review.
Review: After Issues like this went on, The Civil War broke out. The movie makes me feel like i am there, well written, and great casting! If you you like historical (half) Fiction(makes some sense there) films, then Watch it.Matthew Conley of Roodmont Computers.

Rating:
Summary: The most powerful and meaningful movie of 1997.
Review: Although it wassed almost entirely passed over by the Academy, it is by far the most powerful movie of 1997. Spielberg has formulated beautiful scenes in this masterpiece that invoke thought in the heart of man. The performance of Djimon Hounsou deserved best supporting actor, as he portrayed one of the most powerful humans in motion picture history, and all the time speaking no English. It was an unforgettable performance, and definetely better than a movie about a sinking boat, a movie about a confused writer, or any of the other ill-rewarded movies of the year.

Superlative.

Rating:
Summary: powerful, moving drama
Review: Amistad (in my opinion) is Steven Spielberg's second best movie behind only Saving Private Ryan. No movie can compare to Saving Private Ryan. The acting in Amistad was superb. I can't believe it wasn't oscar nominated for best picture, best director, or best actor. Djimon Honsou deserved an academy award for his performance as Cinque. Anthony Hopkins was good as former president John Quincy Adams, but he's had better performances in the past. Overall, a much better movie than the film that won best picture of that year, Titanic.