Movie: The Hurricane

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Let me start with how the movies starts, the first thing is this text on the screen… “While this picture is based upon a true story, some characters have been composited or invented, and a number of incidents fictionalized.” That right there should tell you how true to life this movie is. Though depending on who you believe, I guess is how true to life this might be for you. Either way the film is entertaining and eye opening. It stars Denzel Washington in another good job of acting. The film shows us their side of the story of Ruben “Hurricane” Carter. A former middleweight boxer who though troubled throughout his life is accused and convicted of a triple murder that maybe he did not commit. It follows his life and efforts to have his case overturned. The film was released in January of 2000 and is rated R. The boxing violence, and language, some racial put this into the R rating. At 2 hours, 26 minutes it is worth watching. If you decide to watch it go in knowing that the “number of incidents fictionalized” means a lot. Take these few examples. When they show Carter returning home in his Army uniform the film, I believe wants you to think he did good time in the Army, but he was released from the Army as unfit for service due to 4 courts martials. In one of the fight scenes against Joey Giardello, they show us how Carter clearly should have won the match, and the win was granted to the white Giardello. In the real world Giardello took over the fight in the later rounds. Giardello was so upset with the film’s portrayal of the fight he sued the film studio, and they settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Despite the not so true story about Rubin Carter, it is worth watching and it’s entertaining. I would say if your interested in the truth of the story, look it up rather than watch this film, but if you just want to enjoy a film, then check it out.