The Hurricane

Name: The Hurricane
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Released: December 29, 1999
Duration: 145 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Denzel Washington

1999

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

See All

7.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

The Hurricane

Now Playing: The Hurricane

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 29, 1999 | R

Starring: Denzel Washington

Summary: 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 whichIn 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.… Expand

Director: Norman Jewison

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Sport

Rating: R

Runtime: 145 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Carrie Rickey

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

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. Read full review

TNT RoughCut Morgan Fouch

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

Lawrence Toppman

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

Ann Hornaday

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

Stephen Holden

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

Dallas Observer M. V. Moorhead

(Washington's) performance is halfhearted, soft. Read full review

SEE ALL 30 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

ArkonBlade

Oct 26, 2010

i love films based on true storys and this is a great and inspiring film . a story of a boxer the hurricane played by denzel washington who does a fantastic job as usual portaying this charicter . its about racisism and a fram up of his charicter committing a robbery and murder and gettingi love films based on true storys and this is a great and inspiring film . a story of a boxer the hurricane played by denzel washington who does a fantastic job as usual portaying this charicter . its about racisism and a fram up of his charicter committing a robbery and murder and getting wrongfully imprisoned and him writing a book from prison that a young kid who is trying to find his way through life picks up and inspires him to try and do some thing to help washingtons charicter prove his innocense . the movie is paced well and story wonderfully told .… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TiaW.

Oct 16, 2006

It is very inspiring and i thought it was awesome.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ydnar4

Nov 22, 2014

This is a great movie. Denzel Washington released several classic movies around the time this one came out. Remember the Titans came out a year later. I don't think anyone could have played Hurricane Carter better than Denzel. He's the perfect choice. I already knew the jist of the RubinThis is a great movie. Denzel Washington released several classic movies around the time this one came out. Remember the Titans came out a year later. I don't think anyone could have played Hurricane Carter better than Denzel. He's the perfect choice. I already knew the jist of the Rubin Carter's story before I watched the film adaptation but it was nice to get a visual of what it is like to be falsely imprisoned.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

oliver1h

Mar 25, 2013

I have no idea whether The Hurricane was guilty or not (in real life the story was different than presented in the movie), but Mr. Denzel made his "character" in the movie lively and sympathetic with his outstanding performance. Overall the story is good and rather staightforward, driven byI have no idea whether The Hurricane was guilty or not (in real life the story was different than presented in the movie), but Mr. Denzel made his "character" in the movie lively and sympathetic with his outstanding performance. Overall the story is good and rather staightforward, driven by Mr. Denzel Washington's powerful performance. Worth a look.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tyranian

Jun 18, 2019

Bit overlong and slow but Washington is excellent and the film has some strong moments.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

FilipeNeto

Jan 16, 2022

This film is very largely based on the biography of Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a famous boxer who, during the 1960s, became one of the best names in the middleweight championship, and a serious contender for the world title. Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and unjustly condemned,This film is very largely based on the biography of Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a famous boxer who, during the 1960s, became one of the best names in the middleweight championship, and a serious contender for the world title. Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and unjustly condemned, he spent decades defending his innocence, yet unable to prove it. The case was well known, and its innocence was defended by people like Bob Dylan, whose song "Hurricane" is virtually a leitmotif here.

The movie is good, but not as good as I expected. Cinema is full of films in which survival in the prison environment is addressed, with exhaustive references to the inhumanity and anguish felt by those in prison. So far, the film doesn't bring us anything new. The big difference is being a true story, based on a real person, and a book he wrote. Around this story, the idea also develops that the whole life of "Hurricane" Carter becomes a symbol of the struggle for black rights and the fight against racism. I'm not sure if that was the case, or if the film is making use of the material at a time when it looks good, and it's politically correct, to approach these themes from this perspective. And from this perspective, the legal battle for Carter's release assumes itself as a crusade of Good against Evil, which is, at the very least, a reductive and simplistic view of things.

Denzel Washington is a safe bet for the lead role, although it seems to me perhaps a little awkward for the character: the actor is taller and stronger than the character, and that's something the movie just can't disguise. However, once we get over that, the actor largely compensates us with impeccable work, an enormous dramatic performance, full of depth and commitment. Vicellous Shannon is not far behind and also does an excellent job, although the character is much more accessible. Everything else is much weaker: on the one hand, Dan Hedaya seems to want to embody as much racial hatred as possible, on the other hand, the trio of Liev Schreiber, Deborah Unger and John Hannah try to do just the opposite, emphasizing the racial polarization of the movie: there are no middle, there are good guys and bad guys.

Technically, the film has exceptional cinematography and good visual effects, but gives the story and script all the space it needs to shine, without any hindrances or hindrances. It has good sets and costumes, as well as good dialogue and a pleasant rhythm. The soundtrack makes good use of Bob Dylan's song leitmotif, but no longer features anything noteworthy.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TerryO.

Dec 12, 2005

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 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.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 10 REVIEWS

37	#37 Best Movie of 1999
40	#40 Most Shared Movie of 1999