Review – Amistad

Though I’m usually not fond of Steven Spielberg’s efforts to be a serious film-maker, this one’s not too bad. Sure, it’s shamelessly manipulative, freely bending several historical truths for the sake of a more clear-cut drama. And it would be easy to dismiss it as yet another Hollywood version of slavery and other race issues portrayed as a conflict between good white people and bad white people. On the other hand, it does feature some strong African characters. And it’s particularly notable as one of the frankest and most brutally honest portrayals of the trans-Atlantic slave trade ever put on film; those who always thought Melville’s “Benito Cereno” might have benefited from a fresh perspective should enjoy this take on slave ship mutinies. Though ultimately it plays a lot like an Americanized version of The Mission with a happy ending, it’s not bad for a sentimental, feel-good version of history. Worth seeing