The Hurricane (1999)

The Hurricane is a powerful, true-story drama about Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a talented African-American middleweight boxer whose promising career is derailed when he is wrongly convicted of a triple murder and sentenced to three life terms. The film follows Carter’s rise from a troubled youth to a championship contender, the shattering impact of his arrest and decades behind bars, and the unlikely alliance that breathes new life into his fight for justice. As the story unfolds, an impressionable African-American teenager and his two idealistic Canadian mentors discover Carter’s autobiography and become convinced of his innocence. Their determination to reopen his case draws them — and the audience — into a tense legal and moral struggle against a racist system that benefited from Carter’s conviction. The film balances courtroom drama, the harsh reality of prison life, and intimate character moments to chart both the personal cost of injustice and the power of perseverance. Viewing The Hurricane is an emotional experience: you’ll feel anger and indignation at the systemic prejudice on display, empathy for Carter’s suffering, and inspiration from the grassroots activism that rallies around him. The movie blends stirring performances and moral urgency to leave you both moved and provoked, encouraging reflection on race, truth, and the long fight for redemption.

Actors: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger

Director: Norman Jewison

Runtime: 146 min

Genres: Biography, Drama, Sport

7.2 /10 74 /100 7.6 /10 7.4 /10