Review of The Hurricane (1999) by Filipeneto — 16 Jan 2022

This film is very largely based on the biography of Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a famous boxer who, during the 1960s, became one of the best names in the middleweight championship, and a serious contender for the world title. Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and unjustly condemned, he spent decades defending his innocence, yet unable to prove it. The case was well known, and its innocence was defended by people like Bob Dylan, whose song "Hurricane" is virtually a leitmotif here.

The movie is good, but not as good as I expected. Cinema is full of films in which survival in the prison environment is addressed, with exhaustive references to the inhumanity and anguish felt by those in prison. So far, the film doesn't bring us anything new. The big difference is being a true story, based on a real person, and a book he wrote. Around this story, the idea also develops that the whole life of "Hurricane" Carter becomes a symbol of the struggle for black rights and the fight against racism. I'm not sure if that was the case, or if the film is making use of the material at a time when it looks good, and it's politically correct, to approach these themes from this perspective. And from this perspective, the legal battle for Carter's release assumes itself as a crusade of Good against Evil, which is, at the very least, a reductive and simplistic view of things.

Denzel Washington is a safe bet for the lead role, although it seems to me perhaps a little awkward for the character: the actor is taller and stronger than the character, and that's something the movie just can't disguise. However, once we get over that, the actor largely compensates us with impeccable work, an enormous dramatic performance, full of depth and commitment. Vicellous Shannon is not far behind and also does an excellent job, although the character is much more accessible. Everything else is much weaker: on the one hand, Dan Hedaya seems to want to embody as much racial hatred as possible, on the other hand, the trio of Liev Schreiber, Deborah Unger and John Hannah try to do just the opposite, emphasizing the racial polarization of the movie: there are no middle, there are good guys and bad guys.

Technically, the film has exceptional cinematography and good visual effects, but gives the story and script all the space it needs to shine, without any hindrances or hindrances. It has good sets and costumes, as well as good dialogue and a pleasant rhythm. The soundtrack makes good use of Bob Dylan's song leitmotif, but no longer features anything noteworthy.