Good movie, but lost its focus

Rating: 8/10 (1 August 2006)

I thought the movie was great, and had a lot of good qualities in regards to dialog, directing, acting, etc. But, to me, the movie seemed to have the fundamental flaw that almost all films about Africans, African-Americans, have. That is, the movie shifts its focus to the "hero" white man, who is one of the "good ones" that is out to help the black people. So much attention is given to that character in many of these movies, that I sometimes forget the movie is actually about a black man.
I think it is an unconscious decision many film makers make, because they feel guilty about slavery, and the oppression of black people; that they want to redeem themselves in someway by writing in a character who was just, and compassionate. I don't deny that white people like this did exist in that time, but that is not what the movies are originally about. If you want to make a movie about a good white guy, who did not listen to the racism of his era, then that is good. But if your movie is about a black man who was wrongfully oppressed in some way, then keep the movie about HIM.
Peace.