AMISTAD (1997) - ♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Steven Spielberg 

Written by - David Franzoni 

Starring - Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey

"Amistad tells the story of the first trial against slavery in the United States. It also marks the second work in which the acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg returns to the subject of African American history after his previous work The Color Purple.

Here, the story has more political weight, yet the screenplay by David Franzoni remains rather tasteful and well balanced throughout by both telling the gripping tale of the events with a sense of courtroom drama urgence and mixing it in with a good emotional depth through stints on more melodramatic and cinematic grounds - despite this particular aspect being sometimes brought to the screen too heavy handedly by Spielberg.

The sets, costumes and art direction are sublime and coat Amistad with an added feeling of authenticity. Yet, its pace also makes it seem fresh and modern, while a good cast of big names contributes with excellent performances."

Period Drama, USA