A FILM REVIEW
Mathew
McConaughey- Baldwin
Morgan
Freeman- Theodore Joadson
David
Paymer- Secretary Forsyth
Anthony
Hopkins- John Quincy Adams
Plot/Summary:
A Spanish slave ship by the name of
Amistad is taken over in a mutiny after the slaves break free of their
shackles. This revolt is lead by Cinque (Hounsou), a tribal leader from the
West African nation of Sierra Leone. The slaves then attempt to sale the ship,
hoping to find their way back home. Instead, they end up landing in the U.S.
where they are captured and imprisoned as runaway slaves. It at first seems as
though they are doomed until an abolished lawyer by the name of Baldwin
(McConahey) decides to take their case. His argument is that they were not even
slaves at all, but rather free citizens of another country. The case rises
through the Judicial system until it gets tot the Supreme Court, at which point
John Quincy Adams makes an eloquent plea for their release which is finally
granted.
Entertainment: I give this movie a B for
entertainment. The plot and cast were excellent but the film got a little dry,
boring, and drawn out at certain points.
Historical
Accuracies:
I give this movie an A for historical accuracy being that it is not only based
on a true story but after researching the actual occurrence, I found that the
entire plot and characters in the film are completely factual.