Amistad poster & wallpaper

Anna Paquin, Anthony Hopkins, David Paymer

In the summer of 1839, on a stormy night off the coast of Cuba, 53 Africans held captive in the cramped cargo holds of the Spanish slave ship La Amistad break free of their shackles. Led by Cinque, th...( read more  read more... )ey arm themselves, take control of the ship and reclaim their freedom. They have one goal: to return to Africa. Without the navigational skills to guide them home, the Africans are forced to rely on the two surviving members of the crew. But they are tricked. After two months on a ragged course up the Eastern seaboard, the Amistad is captured by an American naval ship off the coast of Connecticut and the Africans were charged for murder and piracy. In the beginning, the Africans are championed by abolitionists Theodore Joadson and Lewis Tappan, and a young real estate attorney named Roger Baldwin. However, as the case becomes the symbol of a nation divided, two great Americans lock horns in the debate. Pro-slavery President Martin Van Buren, seeking re-election, is willing to sacrifice the Africans to appease the South, as well as Queen Isabella of Spain. But his will is challenged by former President John Quincy Adams, who comes out of retirement to fight the Africans' cause in the United State Supreme Court.

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Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: December 12, 1997

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DVD Release Date: April 19, 1999

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Flixster Reviews (1,718)

  • FangsFirst
    January 23, 2009
    FangsFirst
    I normally start a Steven Spielberg review by discussing the asinine attitude that has developed around him--either hero worship or envious/rebellious denigration. I've done that though, so for those unaware, let me strike my stance as follows: Spielberg is an excellent director ...( read more)who is typically overrated a bit too much by his biggest fans and very thoroughly underrated to ridiculous extents by those who refuse to any element of sentimentality in their personalities. I'm tired of both attitudes and the complete polar extremes' existence with such a popular director clears a swath of free space between them. I'm somewhere in that space, leaning toward the positive.

    Sengbe Pieh (here referred to only by his "Christian name" of Joseph Cinqué, and played by Djimon Honsou) is one of a group of fifty slaves who revolt on Spanish ship La Amistad and slaughter most of their captors. A mix of intentions from Sengbe and the surviving Spaniards Ruiz (Geno Silva) and Montes (John Ortiz) leads to the ship's capture by the American Navy when they land on American soil, and the slaves-to-be are taken to New Haven, Connecticut where they are to be tried. The reading of charges by District Attorney Holabird (Pete Postlethwaite) is interrupted by numerous claims to the possession or rights involved. Lieutenants Gedney (Ralph Brown) and Meade (Darren Burrows) claim the Africans are spoils of salvage, Montes and Ruiz claim rights as the original "owners," Spanish Ambassador Calderon (Tomas Milian, he of many an Italian exploitation film) claims them for Queen Isabella (pubescent Anna Paquin), and Secretary of State John Forsyth (David Paymer) works with Holabird to secure these rights to Calderon--to curry favour with her for soon-to-be-ex-President Martin Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne). Underground publishers of The Emancipator ex-slave Theodore Joadsen (Morgan Freeman) and activist Tappan (Stellan Skarsgård), however, attempt to argue in the favour of their release by way of a writ. When all of this simply ties things up, the outside observer Roger Baldwin (Matthe McConaughey) steps in and offers his services as a property attorney. Tappan shuts him down in righteous anger (because of Baldwin's focus) while Joadsen takes an interest in the young attorney. They attempt to recruit former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) to help them, but Adams refuses on grounds of disinterest. Baldwin turns out to be a good choice, though, and nearly saves the Africans--only to have the politically-motivated machinations of the President appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

    Treading yet more familiar ground for me, this is based on a true story. If you go into any film looking for an education on historical events, that film had better be popularly considered a documentary--if not expertly considered, preferrably. This isn't one and any pretense to it is not given. Spielberg takes an interesting story in the history of the United States, and one relevant to the issue of slavery and uses it to serve the purpose of educating, emotionally, about the horror of slavery and the glory of the United States as a country and set of laws and systems. The events work very well to suit this--most of the complaints about its accuracy have little to do with them, and indeed the final outcome is truthful, as are the events with regard to Van Buren's interference, Adams' reluctance and most of the rest. The parts that are changed are primarily things that are retroactive: suddenly, Van Buren's fear is of civil war, an idea generally not considered to be under discussion so publicly twenty years before it would occur, and Van Buren would not have been campaigning for re-election--because no one campaigned then. This is hardly earth-shaking or story-ruining, however much an assault it may be on historicity.

    What's most memorable about this film are the details that have survived its original release. Djimon Honsou's biggest credit prior was probably that of Horus in Stargate, which is not exactly star-making material, nor a particularly meaty role. This role, however, won him quite some measure of acclaim as well as a Golden Globe nomination, and probably paved the way for his later successes. It's definitely to Honsou's credit that it does so, and not to any hype machine. Sengbe is a strong man, a leader to this small group of the Mende people he is forcibly confined with, but one who suffers great humility and self-doubt. He's proud and stubborn and willing to take action, but has little faith in himself. He's not (thankfully) portrayed as a lone brain amongst the stupid savages, but rather the only one who chooses to take interest in and attempt to decipher the bizarre (and I mean that honestly, this society IS bizarre) society they've been forced into. This is also, in part, because they have forcibly chosen him as leader in light of a past that includes the killing of a monstrous lion. Sengbe (Cinqué only in the film, as I said) is an interesting character because it manages to take the stereotypical idea of the African from the past and re-purpose it outside the stereotype. Yes, Sengbe was in a tribe of hunter/gatherers, yes, his people used primarily close range weapons, yes they wore little clothing by our standards and so forth. But this does not make any suggestion as to his intelligence and capability. It's very well-written and not played too much for laughs when Sengbe and Baldwin attempt to communicate--at the least, it's balanced on who is the object of fun, and even more probably swings toward the Africans as the ones more "right" in their interpretation of the Americans as ridiculous in their systemic complexity.

    The other performance the film is remembered for is certainly Anthony Hopkins' as John Quincy Adams, the President lost to his father's legacy, remembered, as the film presciently notes (more than likely as an injoke based in hindsight, though quite possibly true at the time as well) that he is remembered more for his middle name than any actions. Hopkins, though, won an Oscar, and it, too, was deserved. His Adams is smart and strong of will, but shies away from the limelight now, disinterested in larger issues though he has stances on them. He feigns senility at first, attempting to dissuade his moralistic pursuers in this fashion, but relents when appeal is made to his intellect by Baldwin, and to his skill. He's frustrated at first by the attentions of Sengbe via translator Ensign Covey (Chiwetel Ejiofor, who also went on to much bigger roles, including that of Firefly's "Operative," which geekdom will probably assure remains his most well-known role), but shows glints of appreciation for Sengbe's analysis, and is finally impressed when he instead speaks to him face-to-face (though of course still translated), finding inspiration for the words to bring before the Supreme Court.

    The final (and least pleasant) element the film is remembered for is its depiction of the slave ships. Many films have "happily" portrayed the horrors of slavery in practice (or disturbingly pretended there was no horror to it), but few have had the cojones to show the shipping conditions for the "merchandise." Truly unpleasant, the film begins with the action that Sengbe frees himself with: he scrapes away at the wood around a nail, which he finally frees with bloodied fingers to manipulate the shackles he's held with and remove them. He takes clear revenge on the men who were carrying them, violent and angry, but we seen in this none of the stereotype of "savage," and only pure fury at the conditions he was taken and held under--which we witness later when Baldwin asks him about his story and how he came to be in this court. Taken by surprise by other Africans (as future slaves often were) to be traded to the Portugeuse, Sengbe sees the violent abuses of the ship's masters as they flay the backs of slaves, tie others to rocks and drop them in the ocean and strap them all down naked in rows flat on the floor or in small cage-like separations. It's not pleasant to see, though I think my own brain has developed a protective denial that makes it incapable of comprehending the truth of the fact that somehow people once believed that this was acceptable and normal. I know it's true, but that disconnect at least separates my experience from the reality of image--and the image alone I wouldn't wish on too many, let alone the actuality.

    Once again, Spielberg has achieved something excellent in his historical film-making, using the events surrounding La Amistad to explore the ideas of slavery and of the way the United States governmental systems work. It's not his best work, but it's supremely entertaining and well-made as is very nearly always the case with him. Inexplicably, especially in early scenes with Adams, there is a distractingly saccharine attempt by John Williams to conflate the images of Adams onscreen with political heroics. It comes off as a mis-cue, and really makes the film stumble a bit on those moments.
  • stopitgoaway
    December 21, 2008
    stopitgoaway
    #5 Amistad
    Amistad is a slave ship travelling from Cuba to the US in 1839, carrying a cargo of African slaves. As the ship is crossing from Cuba to the US, a mutiny takes over the ship. The slaves continue to sail, hoping to find help when they land. Instead, when they reach the ...( read more)United States, they are imprisoned as runaway slaves and the death sentence seems certain. Enter a rescue in the shape of Hopkins (President John Quincy Adams), who makes an impassioned and eloquent plea for their release.
    President Speak: "This man is black. We can all see that. But, can we also see as easily, that which is equally true? That he is the only true hero in this room."
  • kiriyamakazou
    June 24, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    Despite the unflinching and brutal way in which slavery is shown the film is also a feel good examination of how lovely people can be. The film is highly engrossing, grabbing attention from the very first second. Only in the last 40 minutes with the third trial and Hopkins' famil...( read more)iar and sentimental speech does the film suffer. The first two hours though are brilliant cinema. Spielberg may be a master manipulator of the emotions but here he still manages to demonstrate restraint and fairness when arguments are presented. The wonderful performances are only harmed by the inconsistency of their appearances.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 20, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "Give us the courage to do what is right. And if it means civil war? Then let it come. And when it does, may it be, finally, the last battle of the American Revolution."


    Amistad is straightforwardly one of Steven Spielberg's greatest motion pictures: an uncomp

    ...( read more)romising, violent history lesson that does not succumb to telling a story of one of the tiring traditional historical events such as the American Civil War, the holocaust, etc. As an alternative to these aforementioned events that have been endlessly told in Hollywood productions, Spielberg tackles a poignant and imperative true story pertaining to the abolition of slavery that had yet to be explored on film.


    Set in 1839, a Spanish slave trading vessel known as 'La Amistad' is transporting African prisoners with the intention of selling them into slavery. Not prepared to meekly submit to the harsh conditions they are forced to endure, the Africans stage a violent revolt against their captors. This rebellion is lead by a passionate African named Cinque (Hounsou) whose solitary goal is to sail back home and return to his beloved family. With this objective in mind the Africans inadvertently sail into the shores of the United States. They are captured and detained as runaway slaves. Mindless legal battles between several parties begin to materialise in regards to ownership of the African slaves. These Africans cannot speak a word of English, hence clueless to their probable execution for their violent rebellion. Challenging these assertions is the abolitionist Theodore Joadson (Freeman), a former slave himself, who desires for the Africans to be released and returned to their homeland. Theodore requires a lawyer to represent his position in the courtroom. As a representative he hires property lawyer Roger Baldwin (McConaughey) who believes that he can help.


    The film then becomes a fascinating drama as the trial commences and the fate of the confused Africans instigates a battle of words in a confined courtroom. Following various legal proceedings the case is then brought before the US Supreme Court. Facing defeat, Theodore and Roger consult former president and lawyer John Quincy Adams (Hopkins) for help.


    Amistad is a gripping legal drama fuelled by a sublime cast. Anthony Hopkins was nominated for an Oscar as John Quincy Adams. This decision is indisputable: for each scene Hopkins features in, he is always a stand-out. The final courtroom speech delivered by Hopkins is driven by poignancy and power. Although said monologue goes for almost 10 minutes there is never a dull second. Every line is attentively thought out. Djimon Hounsou's passionate portrayal is another highlight of the movie. For about 60% of the film's duration the setting is restricted to a courtroom. It can be logically deduced that acting skills of the highest order are absolutely necessary. Hounsou is always compelling and authoritative with his character's motivations blatantly palpable. This is a focused actor who has a great career ahead of him. Recognition must also go to Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey. Freeman is one of the best actors of his generation. He is outstanding! It's refreshing to see Matthew McConaughey playing a unique role. Now that he's notorious for crummy romantic comedies I was a little concerned at first. My fears dissipated very quickly. Combine a mediocre actor with a great director...the results are excellent.


    The cinematography by Janusz Kaminski was also nominated for an Oscar. Similar to films like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg only uses the best cinematography accessible. This gorgeous cinematography also assisted in keeping my interest during the long courtroom scenes.


    An Oscar nomination was also tossed at John Williams for his admirably beautiful score. The film is topped off outstandingly with the commendable directing courtesy of Mr. Steven Spielberg.


    Amistad is powerful, compelling and beautiful. Only being marred marginally by its over-length, this film is a praiseworthy historical epic from the master of modern cinema.
  • middleeasternfilms
    April 20, 2008
    middleeasternfilms
    As with a lot of Spielberg's films, this one is wide and sweeping, telling some sort of story and taking a long time to get there. The cast is magnificent and the acting is superb, but it tries too hard to be some sort of cinematic masterpiece and falls far short of Spielberg's p...( read more)revious works. Not a horrible movie by any means, but not one to watch too often.
  • medoteto
    October 30, 2009
    medoteto
    Professional work, lists the details of a dark period of history of humanity, the top scenes of injustice, equity summit scenes, the scene of perseverance to achieve the top right.
  • dsoul
    October 16, 2009
    dsoul
    You can always count on Mr Spielberg to teach you something with one of his movies. The word 'slavery' you may have heard hundreds of times in your lifetime but do you really know what it means? Can you begin to imagine the kind of humiliation it must be to be a slave?... The bea...( read more)uty of this movie is the faces it brings to this horrific notion.
    Its perfectly cast, They all do a great job especially Djimon Hounsou and Anthony Hopkins. My only gripe would be that there are too many familiar faces and that initial moment of being introduced to characters I find myself thinking about what other movies I have seen those actors in....but I guess thats just me and perhaps I have been watching one too many foreign movies where I don't recognize the actors. All I can say is take a trip down a road that you probably don't want to see but after you do, you'll be better for it.
  • ElCochran90
    October 9, 2009
    ElCochran90
    Cruel and slow, human and non-inspiring story set on very difficult and racist times. Pretentious Spielberg flick.

    60/100
  • djabonillojr2008
    October 1, 2009
    djabonillojr2008
    this movie is terrific. djimon hounsou and anthony hopkins are good in this movie with mr. spielberg's magnificient directing.
  • mv1334
    September 17, 2009
    mv1334
    "Powerful & very important film, one of Steven Spielberg's best. Hounsou stole the show with his amazing, powerful & emotional ability to act (always an amazing actor). Hopkins deserved that nod. McConaughey was really great, probably the best performance of his career, if he got...( read more) serious roles like this or roles like in Tropic Thunder, We Are Marshall, U-571, Edtv & A Time To Kil, he would be an excellent actor for me but he's just a decent actor for me right now. Morgan Freeman was brilliant as usual, Amistad is a powerful and sad movie experience that will capture your hearts."

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Critic Reviews

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What is most valuable about Amistad is the way it provides faces and names for its African characters, whom the movies so often make into faceless victims. full review

View more Amistad reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • cooliofoolio5
    November 27, 2007
    cooliofoolio5
    This movie is so amazing because everything in it is TRUE. The characters, the conditions, everything. Steven Spielburg is AMAZING!!! It's one of those movies that you dont want to watch again, but are very glad you did. I feel closer to my African roots after seeing this movie. AMISTAD OR BUST!!!!
    Ibi
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Amistad Trivia

  • Same name... Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith Aaron Stanford in X-men: The last stand Keanu Reeves in Constantine Anthony Hopkins in Amistad Tom Cruise in Minority Report  Answer »
  • In the movie 'Amistad' - what IS the Amistad?  Answer »
  • a former model and performer in Madonna and Janet videos i was the main slave in amistad father in blood diamond cameo in lara croft tomb raider: the cradle of life bounty hunter in the island   Answer »
  • This Academy Award Nominated Actor was found living homeless on the streets of Paris when cast in one of the leading roles of Amistad.   Answer »
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