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Hurricane, The

EMAILPRINTUniversal Pictures

Hurricane, The reviews
74
8.4 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 30 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 11 votes
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Armyan Bernstein and Dan Gordon
Sam Chaiton (book Lazarus and the Hurricane)
Terry Swinton (book Lazarus and the Hurricane)
Rubin Hurricane Carter (book The 16th Round)

Directed by: Norman Jewison

Release Date:
Theatrical: December 29, 1999
DVD: July 11, 2000

Running Time: 155 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for language and some violence

Starring Denzel Washington, Garland Whitt, John Hannah, David Paymer, and Liev Shreiber

In Norman Jewison's moving biopic, boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Washington) is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in 1967 while steadfastly maintaining and professing his innocence. After being contacted by an admiring teenager living in Canada (Shannon), a series of events leads to the assemblage of a legal team which gives him hope for release.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Washington blows you away. To say he gives the performance of his career is an understatement.

100

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

Both the movie and Denzel Washington are knockouts.

100

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Washington can bank on an Oscar nomination for the most forceful work of his career.

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91

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

This is some of the finest acting you will see on-screen, maybe ever. Single-handedly, Washington turns The Hurricane from so-so to must-see.

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90

TNT RoughCut Morgan Fouch

One of year's most thought-provoking and soul-stirring films.

90

LA Weekly F. X. Feeney

This is the deepest of Jewison's three racially themed films, the other two being "In the Heat of the Night" and "A Soldier's Story."

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90

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Brilliantly played by Denzel Washington

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88

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

This is one of Denzel Washington's great performances, on a par with his work in "Malcolm X."

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88

USA Today Susan Wloszczyna

Epic in nearly every way, The Hurricane has the power to blow you away.

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88

New York Post Lou Lumenick

An expertly crafted, deeply moving film.

83

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Jewison handles this rich tapestry of non-linear scenes with the skill of the old pro he is, and carefully modulates the drama to create the maximum emotional impact.

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83

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Washington immerses himself, even more than he did in "Malcolm X," in a stare of unforgiving outrage.

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80

Variety Emanuel Levy

In what's easily his most zealous and fully realized performance since "Malcolm X," Washington elevates the earnest, occasionally simplistic narrative to the level of a genuinely touching moral expose.

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80

Time Richard Schickel

In Washington's finely shaded performance he's a low-pressure system, illuminated by distant flashes of lightning.

75

Baltimore Sun Ann Hornaday

Jewison's focus on the Canadians' dogged do-gooderism might have actually prevented a good movie from being a great one.

75

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Milks Carter's story for maximum "inspirational" value, and at times the movie skirts dangerously close to afterschool-special territory.

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

(Washington) raises it to the level of importance with an acting job that's one unbroken chain of intense emotion.

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75

Boston Globe Jay Carr

(Washington's is) an astonishing performance, partly because it's so devoid of histrionics, and it has Oscar nomination written all over it.

75

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

The rest of this well-intentioned picture never reaches (Washington's) level of subtlety and intensity.

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70

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Washington leans into an otherwise schlocky movie and slams it out of the ballpark.

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70

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

The narrative--a complex structure of flashbacks and shifts in perspective that's part inspirational story, part courtroom drama, part character study, part exposé--never makes it seem that history is being oversimplified.

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70

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

With power, intensity, remarkable range and an ability to disturb that is both unnerving and electric, it is more than Washington's most impressive part.

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70

Newsweek Kevin Stuart

The dedication of the Canadian team strains belief at times, and for good reason.

70

Film.com Peter Brunette

An often affecting, if standard-issue, Hollywood biopic.

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60

Village Voice Amy Taubin

Far too tepid.

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60

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

The material is inherently compelling and anchored by Washington's performance.

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50

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The story is so important and compelling that you wish Jewison had treated it more as an urgent wake-up call than a by-the-numbers morality play.

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50

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

What remains is Washington's volcanic and contemplative work at the core of a film packed to the rafters with raging bull.

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40

Dallas Observer M. V. Moorhead

(Washington's) performance is halfhearted, soft.

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40

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Feels overlong and underscripted.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Sean K gave it a4:
Denzel once again gives us a towering performance in a film that seems to have the right idea but its execution is utterly shot down because of the side story or should i say stories that develop. The film has some powerful moments but also so bland and relentlessness moments that seem to leave the viewer wondering why wasn't this film any better??

Tia W. gave it a10:
It is very inspiring and i thought it was awesome.

Terry O. gave it a2:
The powerful acting by Denzel is cheapened (indeed, rendered worthless and pointless or worse) by a movie that so quickly deserts fact and omits big chunks of reality. To say that it is bogus and manipulative is NOT an overstatement. I have done some research into the case and Carter's life and personality. One should consider why the Canadians depicted in this fiction no longer speak to or associate with Rubin. If this movie were "balanced" and told the WHOLE ("real") story it could be a mini-series several hours long --- and be a whole lot more interesting. Denzel deserves a 10+ for his performance, and is the only reason for this "2"; otherwise it is a total "0" for being manipulative, dishonest, incomplete, and opportunistic. It corrodes our natural good nature. I have an interracial family, have worked with and been formally commended by the Urban League, and have bonded with African-American tenants of mine who are underprivileged and given them lots of helping hands. So, put that into the formula before you think I am dissing this movie out of racism.

hailey w. gave it a10:
Brill film.

doctor parker gave it a10:
Unquestionably, at least in my mind, denzels best performance to date. this is the role he should have won the oscar for. the film itself is nearly flawless, aided in no small part by an inspirational real life drama, but brought to the screen with integrity, sensitivity, and pronounced skill. a triumph for all involved.

Laura gave it a 10:
I love this movie its truly moving.

Barry H. gave it a 10:
This is the best movie that Denzel Washington has been in. I all so like the Bob Dylan song, "The Hurricane."

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