The Hurricane (1999)
		Genre: Docudrama Director: Norman Jewison Rating: Restricted Running Time: 127 Minutes Release Date: December 29th, 1999	Cast: Denzel Washington Vicellous Reon Shannon Liev Schreiber Deborah Unger John Hannah Dan Hedaya Clancy Brown David Paymer Rod Steiger

Pickup Line: Struggle

Guru mumu rating: 3

Guru dudu rating: 2

Overall rating: 2 (wait for video)

The following is a review of The Hurricane, based on its merits as a film, not on Rubin Carter's virtues as a man and boxer. We realize that there are some details and events in the film that have caused controversy regarding The Hurricane's accuracy in depicting Carter's life. Therefore, the evaluation of the film focuses on its quality, as opposed to its truthfulness. This review is aimed at the average, mainstream moviegoer; it does not seek to emulate the knowledge and expertise of boxing fans.

Boxing is a sport that gives rise to true legends. In the ring, we see underdogs become heroes, the weak become invincible. Every time that bell commencing a fight rings, a champion is born. And they are never forgotten. Millions heard this bell toll for the likes of Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali …and Rubin Carter.

Rubin Carter's checkered life is depicted in The Hurricane, a docudrama directed by Norman Jewison, released by Universal. The film follows the making and breaking of a prize fighter: his childhood, the rage that drove him to use his body "as a weapon," his rise to fame, and wrongful conviction for the murder of three people.

The Hurricane is not about a champion boxer who knocks out every opponent he fights in the ring. Rather, the main character's most challenging fight takes place not behind ropes but behind bars. Rubin Carter was innocent. But because of a malicious cop's (Dan Hedaya) prejudice and corruption, Carter is forced to waste 19 years of his life in jail, paying for a crime he didn't commit.

Powerful dialogue and a commendable performance by Denzel Washington as Rubin Carter make The Hurricane worth seeing…and worth remembering. Unlike Rocky, this movie doesn't focus on fight scenes but on emotion. It is touching. It's a sobering to watch a man, a prize fighter, innocent, locked up in a cell. It's heart-wrenching to see him break ties with his ever-faithful, ever-hopeful wife, so that she would no longer be burdened by his imprisonment. It's an enlightening experience to witness this man fight for his dignity and freedom.

And this is exactly what Rubin Carter does. He writes a book in prison declaring his innocence. And the real story begins when a 15 year-old African-American boy name Lesra, who had just learned how to read, spends 25 cents to purchase his first book. Upon reading it, he gets hooked, obsessed, even. He decides to meet the man. And more than that, he compels his Canadian foster family (two men and a woman who took him under their wing to get him a high school diploma and prepare him for college) to fight for Rubin Carter's seemingly lost cause.

It is essentially the poignant relationship that Carter develops with Lesra that delivers the most powerful punch of all. We see a man and a boy find hope in each other. Both of them are fighters in their own way. And as an audience, we champion their cause.

The Hurricane is a movie that really involves the audience, making it crave justice. But it does have its flaws. The pace is too slow generally, causing the audience to be distracted at times. And some integral explanations and motivations are left out. Was it pure racial prejudice that drove a man of the law to destroy Rubin Carter's life? Was it pure altruism that drove the Canadians to nurture and educate Lesra and lobby for Carter's freedom? And what exactly is the situation with this trio? Also, the movie's editing causes confusion sometimes, as it makes abrupt jumps between past (via flashbacks) and present in an attempt to give a full-fledge biography.

But The Hurricane's merits are not overshadowed by its shortcomings. It's one of those films that trigger many emotions: disgust for the imperfections of the justice system, sympathy and admiration for the wrongfully accused, approbation for a young boy's determination, and gratefulness for the kindness of three people set on winning a man back his freedom. Add in a powerful performance from Denzel Washington that won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, the legend of the Hurricane truly packs quite a wallop and its message is not one you can easily shake off.