cassie

"I'm innocent. I've committed no crime. The crime has been committed against me."

Those were the words spoken by Rubin Carter, played by Denzel Washington in Hollywood scripted film, "The Hurricane."

"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 film is based on former boxing champion, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter who is 'supposedly' falsely convicted for the involvement in the joint murders of three innocent white people. who were randomly slaughtered in cold-blood by two apparent black men, fleeing the scene late at night on June 17th 1966 in Patterson, New Jersey.

After hearing gunshots recently been fired, two nearby criminals approached the 'Lafayette Bar & Grill', denied seeing the two, however after being paid $10 000 each by "corrupt cops" their testimony changed and they testified that Rubin Carter and John Artis were in-fact the two 'negroes' responsible for the triple murders. Back in the 60's, racism was a major issue, the white race being dominant therefore it was easy to convict Carter and Artis. Thus meaning the two were sentenced to a maximum-security correctional facility for the remainder of their natural lives. During his time in prison, Carter wrote an autobiography about his injustice, which he titled 'The sixteenth Round.'

A sixteen year old foster-child from Brooklyn, by the name of Lesra Martin, played by Vicellous Reon Shannon read Carter's autobiography and felt sympathy for the author of the first book that not only touched his heart but gave him clearer idea of racial struggles.

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 fights to show the world the truth because the truth will transcend the lies that have kept him in prison.. who believes it?? Did you know that later, Rubin married Lisa. Did you also know that the EXACT same amunition from the gun..the bullets were found in Carters car.. HUGE coincidence, dont you think?!?! DO you believe it?? Im unsure, i just want to know THE TRUTH!!!!!!!!

write back to me and title it The HURRICANE!

Adam

Cassie,

I abosolutely believe that Carter was innocent. I think the Bob Dylan song conveys that more than the film. The Hurricane was a good movie, but I wouldn't call it a great one. As much as I liked it, I felt that it wasn't quite as emotional and powerful as it should have been. As for the other stuff you mentioned (amunition etc.), that's all probably true, but you wouldn't know it by watching the film. At any rate, I don't really think that's what Norman Jewison's take on the subject was about. It's really a movie about the triumph of the human spirit. Again, I really liked the movie but I didn't love it.