Based
on a true story about Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter (Denzel Washington,
Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama),
the film follows Hurricane’s tragically unjust persecution and
incarceration and his rise out of prison through the help of a black boy
and his white friends and mentors. The screenplay is actually an
adaptation of two books. One is an autobiography by Hurricane chronicling
his life and persecution. The other is a novel about Hurricane’s
relationship with Lesra (Lazarus) and his friends who work to free
Hurricane from a triple life sentence for murder. If this story weren’t
true, it would seem oddly forced for dramatic effect.
Although the adaptation leaves gaping questions about the events, as
adaptations often do, the movie elucidates, ever so poignantly, the power
of the heart. So many movies this holiday season have brought us back to
our heart, and although the universality of the message may seem
repetitive, every victory of the heart manifests its own magic and finds
its unique resonance.
In Hurricane, the magic comes through the complexity of
Hurricane’s character. As if we were cast into the cell with him, we get
a taste of the terrifying struggle to hold on to sanity, dignity, and
meaning. Hurricane molded himself into an untouchable, resilient,
self-contained fortress, but to do that, he’s had to give up love and
hope and because of that, he hasn’t faced his life-long prejudice
against whites. His racism is certainly understandable. He had every
reason to hate white people. After all, a white cop sent him to jail at 11
when he was innocent. The same white cop had him framed for murder. A jury
of 12 white people found him guilty of murder. A white judge sentenced him
to life imprisonment. Hurricane has never known a white person who hasn’t
done him wrong. How could he not hate white people? It is this hatred,
however, that holds Hurricane in a spiritual prison, just like the unjust
conviction holds him in a physical prison.
Denzel Washington gives a wonderful portrayal of Hurricane’s journey
back to the heart. He takes us step by step from a man who hates whites to
a man who allows himself to love, trust, and depend on a group of virtual
white strangers. Hurricane fights to show the world the truth because the
truth will transcend the lies that have kept him in prison, but only when
he opens his heart and surrenders to love can he transcend the prison he’s
created in his soul to keep himself untouched by the flawed world.
One can hardly comprehend an injustice that was done to Hurricane
Carter, but through the bonds of love, he was delivered to freedom. This
movie shows us once again just how far our hearts can take us if we follow
them.
Hurricane achieves its power and message despite obvious flaws and
holes in the story development. We may discuss these more in an afterglow
because chronicling them now will give some elements of the story away
that are best enjoyed in the theatre.
We usually leave the rating board alone. Their ratings are largely
irrelevant to our work and interest as reviewers. In this instance,
however, we feel that an R rating is perplexing. Hurricane was a
middleweight boxing contender, furious with his fists, but disciplined.
There are exquisitely choreographed, viscerally powerful fight scenes in
the ring, but this is hardly more than a real boxing match or wrestling
simulation watched by 8 year olds regularly.
Hurricane is a powerfully uplifting film for young people and
particularly young men. It shows a violent man overcoming his propensities
and a young man rise out of adversity and learn to read and motivate
himself to achieve greater things. We should be encouraging teens to see
this movie, not restricting them.
