"Amistad," directed by Steven Spielberg, is an accurate and harrowing portrayal of a group of slaves tried for piracy and murder. The Amistad was a Spanish cargo ship upon which a spontaneous rebellion took place; the captain and his men slaughtered by their human cargo - 53 illegally enslaved Africans. (Ironically, "amistad" means friendship in Spanish.)

The film opens in 1839 onboard this ship, which is off the coast of Cuba. An African slave, later known as Joseph Cinque, uses an iron spike to pick his locks and free himself and other prisoners from the shackles that fasten them to the ship's hold. What ensues is a mutiny and massacre of the ship's crew. The Africans take the ship with plans to sail to their homeland, but the vessel winds up in the Long Island Sound off the coast of Connecticut. There the Africans are captured, imprisoned, and put through a lengthy series of trials for their crimes.

The Africans' plight is noticed by the abolitionists, Americans that advocate the outlawing of slavery. New Haven attorney Roger S. Baldwin, played with earnest enthusiasm by Matthew McConaughey, takes the case at the abolitionists urging. Baldwin argues that the Amistad originated in Spain where the African slave trade had already been outlawed, therefore his clients had the right to free themselves by whatever means possible. Also joining the cause is former President John Quincy Adams, played by a too-subdued Anthony Hopkins. Eventually, the case was heard by the Supreme Court and the Africans were returned to their homeland.

Through a Lens Darkly

Spielberg makes use of a great deal of darkness in telling this tale. Plenty of shadows, brown and sepia tones, and stark cave-like lighting brings a feeling of raw despair to the shots, particularly those of the slaves' imprisonment in America. The film remains true to its period for most of the costumes, though there are moments when it seems the slaves on trial are a bit too well dressed. In fact, it is in the courtroom where the movie loses a bit of its verve. These scenes are critical to the historical significance of the story, but are somewhat plodding in their pace and camera work.

The opening sequence is quite memorable: the slaves rebel against their captors during a terrible storm, complete with lightning and resulting blackness. The contrast of light and dark sets the mood for the coming wave of violence as they work free of their chains. Another devastating series of scenes depict the original capture of the Africans as they are kidnapped from their homeland. We see these people partaking in their everyday activities, only to be dragged away to either death or servitude. Subsequent shots of "excess" slaves being weighted and drowned are so shocking you must look away.

Djimon Hounsou is incredible in the role of Joseph Cinque, a proud man of some stature in his native land but reduced to mere chattel in America. The actor is by turns sensitive and full of rage, and brings an impressive level of intensity to the role. It is surprising that he did not receive a nod from the Academy for his portrayal. The cast boasts such names as Pete Postlewaite, Morgan Freeman, and the previously mentioned Anthony Hopkins, and the performances are necessarily restrained.

"Amistad," like many of Spielberg's docu-dramas, is hard to watch at times. It is not exactly a love letter to the American judicial system, but we do celebrate a certain measure of redemption. When the judge asks his court the pointed question, "Were they born in Africa" he answers it himself as he acquits the Africans, "I believe they were."

Is "Amistad" a film that needs to be seen I believe it is.