An Excellent Historical Recreation

Rating: 7/10 (28 August 2011)

The story of the Amistad slaveship revolt and the subsequent court case over the fate of the Africans who revolted isn't particularly well known but gets a well deserved high profile treatment from Steven Spielberg in this movie that fairly faithfully recounts the events all the way from the journey of the Amistad across the Atlantic to the final decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.
As a historical re-creation this is excellent and captures a number of different angles and competing interests in the case. Most importantly, of course, are the Africans themselves, led by a passionate but articulate man known as Cinque, who was played brilliantly by Djimon Hounsou. The court case revolved around the issue of whether these particular blacks were born in Africa (and thus not able to be imported into the United States as slaves) or whether they were born in Cuba, and were therefore mere property. The case is taken on by lawyer Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConnaughey) and then, in front of the Supreme Court, by former United States President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins.) Hopkins offered a very moving monologue before the Supreme Court near the end of the movie. Morgan Freeman also plays a significant role as a former slave turned businessman who apparently partially funds the case. We feel for the plight of the Africans. From the opening scenes of the movie - even though the revolt is bloody and violent - we feel sympathy for them and their plight. Their story is fascinating, emotional and ultimately heartwarming.
Many other issues are looked at in the movie. There's the political dilemma of Martin Van Buren (the incumbent U.S. President, played by Nigel Hawthorne) who is facing inevitable defeat in the upcoming election and for whom the Amistad case is a nightmare, as he risks losing the support of the south over it. There's the diplomatic manoeuvring between Spain (represented by its 11 year old Queen) and the U.S. There's the complicated issue of North vs. South, which by 1840 was becoming a monumental problem in the U.S. There's the issue of judicial independence. With so much going on, it's really quite a fascinating movie to watch.
It is at times perhaps a little bit too detailed in all honesty. Some of the legal proceedings might be a great interest to legal scholars, but some of it also went over my head to be honest. I mean, I got the basic issue - if they were born in Africa, they were free; if they were born in Cuba they were slaves. I just felt that some of the legal proceedings went on a bit too long, and at time slowed the movie down unnecessarily. All the performances in it are good, though, and one has to be impressed that in spite of the fact that 7 of the 9 Supreme Court justices were from the South, the Supreme Court nevertheless ruled in favour of the Africans, freed them and allowed them to return to Africa. It's a well- done movie worth watching for those with an interest in the broad subject of U.S. slavery. (7/10)