In my opinion, in "Amistad" Anthony Hopkins shows his best ever acting performance.

Rating: 8/10 (28 November 2001)

I liked this film. It has for my standards at least 8 points out of 10. Thus I disagree with AMG rating giving it only 5 points.
But the most remarkable thing in this film is the outstanding characterization of former President John Quincy Adams performed by Anthony Hopkins.
In fact, I don´t think that Anthony Hopkins is a very good actor. Besides in "Amistad" I only liked his acting in "Howards End", not even in the famous "The Remains of the Day" nor "The Silence of the Lambs", as I think that in both films he overacted too much. It is true that Hannibal Lecter could only be characterized by overacting, but this doesn´t change my appreciation.
In "Amistad" he transmits very soberly and properly the excentric personality of the former President. Remarkable is his simple answer to Cinque (Djimon Hounsou has here also a very good acting performance)when this one asks "Which words did you use to convince them?" He simply says "Yours" as only John Quincy Adams in the whole world could have said it.
Naturally, the search of justice, the fight against slavery and other human values are very important and they contribute - as well as the historical interest of this international affair - to my suggestion that the film is surely worth seeing.