Worth Seeing

Rating: Null/10 (22 March 2003)

You don't watch television if you're wanting to know the truth about current events -- likewise, you shouldn't watch a film to learn about history.
Although not entirely accurate, Amistad addresses an important (but neglected) event in our young nation's history. Don't expect Spielberg to tell you exactly what happened, but you can expect for your interest to be piqued. I have no idea why this saga was completely left out in my high school or even college textbooks. That's a lesson in and of itself.
Especially considering that this was the first time most people had even heard of the event, I think Amistad is a solid and thought-provoking film. It's a reasonable period piece; The costumes, sets, and dialogue aren't perfect but they pass. The acting is excellent. It's more than worth seeing -- it should probably be part of the American high school curriculum.