Essay, Research Paper: Amistad

Amistad
Amistad is a movie about a struggle and freedom. The character of man-Amistad,
captured viewer and made them realize a painful and brutal past that they could not
escape. The word amistad comes from a word meaning friendship, and this movie is far
from being based on friendship, which is why it is quite ironic that they chose this for a
title. The opening scene portraying an open desperate ocean, a smooth drum beat, and an
exhausted slave. The film in its entirety expresses a brutally violent environment, a struggle
for freedom, and the need for friendship.
The movie surrounds the idea of the Constitution of America, and even more so, when
the words "Life, liberty and property", flowed form Jefferson's mind. The movie smashes
in your face the though of, "Who has the right to own a slave, another human being." Or is
that right souly in the hands of an individual to take control of their own life. During the
long, drawn out courtroom drama section of this movie, the issue of the long-lived slave
question was decided. The slaves were to be set free. As the movie goes on it blasts out a
brutal blow of reality of the way life had gone for the slaves even after being allowed to go
back to Africa. The audience must now go head on with a past that everyone's bloodline
had a part in whether direct or not.
This was a well sided movie discussing both sides of the issue. It was educational and
had somewhat of an entertainment value, but with its excessive length and scenes that are
not necessarily pertinent, this is not a movie I would recommend to a friend. On a 1-10
scale, I would be generous to give this flick a 6.

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Word Count: 302