7/10
1997-12-10 R Amistad

Amistad

Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken.

Release Date: 1997-12-10

Rating: 7.026 / 10

Runtime: 155 mins

In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed slave Theodore Joadson wants Cinque and the others exonerated and recruits property lawyer Roger Baldwin to help his case. Eventually, John Quincy Adams also becomes an ally.


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Details


Runtime

155 minutes

Release Date

1997-12-10

Budget

$36,000,000

Box Office Earnings

$44,229,441

Cast and Crew Members

Cast

Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
David Paymer
David Paymer
David Paymer
David Paymer
Pete Postlethwaite
Pete Postlethwaite
Pete Postlethwaite
Pete Postlethwaite
Stellan Skarsgård
Stellan Skarsgård
Razaaq Adoti
Razaaq Adoti
Abu Bakaar Fofanah
Abu Bakaar Fofanah

Crew Members

Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg Director
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg Director
David Franzoni
David Franzoni Writer

Awards and Nominations

Oscar - ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Oscar - CINEMATOGRAPHY

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Oscar - COSTUME DESIGN

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Oscar - MUSIC (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Golden Globe - Best Motion Picture - Drama

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Golden Globe - Best Director - Motion Picture

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture

Year: 1998
Status: 🎭 Nominated

Audience Reviews

Read authentic reviews from real viewers about this movie.

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  • John Doe's avatar

    CinemaSerf

    Rating: 7/10

    "Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely intervention from the US Navy rescued some of the crew, but then subjected the erstwhile cargo to an humiliating and debase battle for their "ownership". Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) takes up the cudgels on their behalf - at no small risk to himself, and with the assistance of former US President John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) takes this principle all the way to the Supreme Court. It is most bizarre to watch this and even begin to contemplate a society in which the concept of one person, business, or nation claiming the possession of a human being is actually being discussed by rational people in a court of law, but here we have it. The film looks great, plenty of attention to the detail with the costumes and the sets but there is far too much incidental dialogue and the pace of the story seems more intent of delivering a story of epic length rather than meaningful drama. Sir Anthony delivers well in the last fifteen minutes with a most potent piece of oratory; this is probably the best effort we have yet seen from McConaughey and there are strong supporting roles from Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Van Buren); an impressive Djimon Hounsou - who has no English dialogue - as the leader of the incarcerated and Morgan Freeman also delivers well as he tries to facilitate the freedom and potential repatriation of these people back to modern day Sierra Leone. The moral and ethical issues here are writ large and presented in a well crafted, poignant and sometimes quite brutal fashion that make this a decent, if not great, film to watch."

  • John Doe's avatar

    CinemaSerf

    Rating: 7/10

    "Steven Spielberg took the helm for this rather classy, if very wordy, depiction of the celebrated legal battle that resulted from the mutiny of slaves aboard a Spanish ship in the late 1830s. A timely intervention from the US Navy rescued some of the crew, but then subjected the erstwhile cargo to an humiliating and debase battle for their "ownership". Roger Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) takes up the cudgels on their behalf - at no small risk to himself, and with the assistance of former US President John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) takes this principle all the way to the Supreme Court. It is most bizarre to watch this and even begin to contemplate a society in which the concept of one person, business, or nation claiming the possession of a human being is actually being discussed by rational people in a court of law, but here we have it. The film looks great, plenty of attention to the detail with the costumes and the sets but there is far too much incidental dialogue and the pace of the story seems more intent of delivering a story of epic length rather than meaningful drama. Sir Anthony delivers well in the last fifteen minutes with a most potent piece of oratory; this is probably the best effort we have yet seen from McConaughey and there are strong supporting roles from Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Van Buren); an impressive Djimon Hounsou - who has no English dialogue - as the leader of the incarcerated and Morgan Freeman also delivers well as he tries to facilitate the freedom and potential repatriation of these people back to modern day Sierra Leone. The moral and ethical issues here are writ large and presented in a well crafted, poignant and sometimes quite brutal fashion that make this a decent, if not great, film to watch."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the runtime of the Amistad ?

The movie is approximately 155 minutes long.

What is the Amistad's release date?

1997-12-10 marks the official release date of the movie.

What genre is the Amistad?

The movie belongs to the Drama History Mystery genres, offering a variety of experiences from adventure to fantasy.

Who are the main actors in the Amistad?

The lead actors include Morgan Freeman , Nigel Hawthorne , and Nigel Hawthorne , among others.

Who directed Amistad?

The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg

What is the Amistad's budget?

The movie had an estimated budget of $36,000,000 .

How much did Amistad movie earn at the box office?

A Cinderella Story grossed an estimated $44,229,441 at the box office.

What are some production companies behind the Amistad movie?

Major production companies include DreamWorks Pictures HBO Films .

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