Wonderful character development!

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

There have been a spate of right wing reviews of this film, all repeating the same talking points. Right wing in this case means either racist, or those determined to take down an icon among the 70s counterculture, Mr. Carter.So determined are they to take down Carter's image, they resort to easily disproved and almost trivial falsehoods. It takes quite a bit of obsessiveness to dismiss Carter's boxing career as either "failed" or "mediocre." Two pairs of reviews repeat those talking points. Anyone can easily look up that Carter was ranked third as a contender against the champion.Another falsehood is the claim that there was no all white jury, that two Black jurors were on it. This one is harder to disprove without knowing where to look. Most links require some digging. The easiest one is The Guardian's article by a lawyer for Carter. Yes, it was an all white jury. And no, Carter was not a Black Panther, the silliest of all the claims in the negative reviews.Yes, this film does have quite a few falsehoods. About the only one the negative wing reviews get right is that Carter did lose the fight featured at the film's start. Nearly all the falsehoods in the film DIMINISH, DOWNPLAY, or LESSEN the amount of racism in his case.Why would supposedly liberal Hollywood remove much of the racism Carter faced in his case? First, Hollywood is not all that liberal, not in a genuine way. Openly racist recent films like American Sniper and Green Hell show that. The film makers for The Hurricane altered the facts because the real history is pretty complicated.The film lays blame for Carter's imprisonment on one crooked racist cop. In truth, there were multiple racist cops who framed Carter. The main witness against Carter, a mob connected thief, is here shown testifying to get his sentence reduced. Actually, he was heavily bribed by police too.A whole series of attorneys for the DA's office also took part in setting up Carter. But the film makers likely thought white viewers wouldn't believe the actual massive conspiracy with over a dozen police and lawyers. So they chose to make it just one fictional man.Even the anti racist activists are diminished. The film depicts Carter's realize as coming from three "Canadians." Actually it was a vast network of dozens of supporters. The film also leaves out Carter's own violent past. Surprisingly, none of the right wing reviews mention this. Carter did have a juvenile record of assault and theft. He also had court martials while in the military. Here the film makers could have done what Dead Man Walking did, admit the main subject was a deeply flawed criminal who still got railroaded and a punishment he did not deserve.Another model the film makers could have used is the far older Birdman of Alcatraz. Burt Lancaster played real life murder Robert Stroud, one who showed himself to be reformed. (The big difference, of course, is that most evidence shows Carter was never a murderer.) Rubin Carter, despite his criminal past, did great things after being released. He headed the Ass'n in Defence of the Wrongly Accused, which helped 21 others gain their freedom. He received awards, honorary degrees, and was in great demands as a motivational speaker.But none of the right wing/racist reviews mention any of that. They also don't mention that police falsely arrested him yet again, this time falsely accusing him of dealing drugs. Hollywood doesn't mention it either. Again, white audiences might have a hard time understanding just how constant police harassment is for Blacks...and Latinos and American Indians, as I can tell from personal experience.The Hurricane is a moving film. It's a shame the film makers believed some whites wouldn't find the actual amount of racism in this case believable. Al Carroll Author of Medicine Bags and Dog Tags, Presidents' Body Count, and A Proposed New Constitution.

The Hurricane (1999): Dir: Norman Jewison / Cast: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger, Dan Hedaya, John Hannah: Based on the true story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter who spent most of his life in prison for the murder of three people. His ring name is Hurricane in the sport of boxing but it also mirrors his emotions, which is fueled by rage. The film spans from his troubled childhood where theft led to his initial encounter with the law. Central plot regards his innocence and his ability to go unbroken from the corrupt system that placed him there. Director Norman Jewison dealt with racial issues before in films such as In the Heat of the Night. He presents boxing footage in appropriate black and white. Powerful performance by Denzel Washington as Carter whose patience for corruption payoff in the form of Vicellous Reon Shannon as the ghetto kid who reads his biography and determined to set him free. This will land a predictable conclusion that holds question as to how much is accurate. Deborah Kara Unger plays one of Shannon's foster parents who assists him. Where the film goes wrong is its representing of the villain cop, played by Dan Hedaya seen more as a bad guy than an actual personality. It never examines this issue beyond the basic finger-pointing agenda while strong arguments can equal stronger content. Compelling film about race and justice. Score: 8 ½ / 10

In a case with multiple sides, it's hard to seek the truth. It's especially difficult when men purposely play with the system. Whether it's "indisputable" evidence, false witnesses or sheer manipulation, the story of the Hurricane is one to be remembered. Known as a prominent fighter, Hurricane's battle with overcoming challenges began from an early age. This film is deeply emotional. It delves into the ploy of sinister men in positions of power who have goals besides enforcing the spirit of the law. The Hurricane is unluckily swept into the midst of corruption and loses everything. It's a struggle to one day taste freedom and bring justice back to the courts.The Hurricane is a strong movie. Whether it's the psychological trouble or loss of family, it's impossible to not sympathize with the protagonist. Although not truly meant to be a documentary, my main concern is that the film is clearly one-sided. Although it is a great piece of film, the plot does not represent history accurately and only reveals light from a skewed perspective. With great performances from Denzel Washington and the entire supporting cast, this movie is certain to please for its entertainment value. Validity is key, though. Corruption is rampant, but so is deception.

"Everybody knows the fight was fixed, the poor stay poor, the rich get rich. That's how it goes. Everybody knows." - Leonard CohenNorman Jewison's "The Hurricane" stars Denzel Washington as Ruben "Hurricane" Carter, a middleweight boxing champ charged with triple murder. An all-white jury sentences Carter to life in prison. The film's second half watches as a group of Canadian activists struggle to get Carter released. The evidence used to indict him was manufactured, they claim, the African American Carter the target of racial persecution. "The Hurricane" is cartoonish and simplistic, but boasts another infectious performance by Washington. The immaculately chiselled Deborah Kara Unger is also fine in a small role. The film was based on a real life incident, and its screenplay adapted from two books, one of which was Carter's own memoir. Over the decades, Carter's case would become a cause celebre; Muhammed Ali, Ellen Burstyn, Bob Dylan and a number of other figureheads would tout his innocence. Many believe the opposite. Regardless, law and legal systems have always been inherently racist and classist. To this date, studies estimate between five to ten thousand wrongful convictions in the US per year. For a better take on this material, see Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's "Murder on a Sunday Morning".7.5/10 – Excellent in patches, but mostly conventional. Worth one viewing.