Amistad: Movie Review

Around the 15th century those living in africa begin to get kidnaped sold and transported and ships. They had no idea where they were going. Many Europeans nations would soon began transporting thousands of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.in order to use them for physical labor. This would soon be known as the middle passage. The trip could take over a month and the slaves on board were in pain every second they were on that ship.Many did not survive the horrible ocean journey. Those who did survive would end up becoming slaves in a country they’ve never been before.

The movie amistad is based on a true story that really did happen. The film begins with a ship called the amistad carrying some africans. The first person we come across in the movie seems to be a man who is in chains.his name is cinque and he will be the protagonist of the film.we see that cinque is picking at the nail in order for him to take off his shackles. After doing this he is Freed and begians freeing the other slaves on board. This causes a rebellion on board the ship which is sailing through a storm.In the ensuing fighting several Africans and most of the ship’s Spanish crew are killed but the africans saves two of the ships sailors so that they can be taken back home. The two spanish sailors that the africans keep alive sail them towards america where they are soon come across a amrina naval ship and are captured and imprisoned in jail. Word soon begins to spread immediately to U.S. President Martin Van Buren and Queen Isabella II of Spain and also a group of abolitionists.The group of Africans are charged with mutiny and murder. Soon everyone begins to claim that they are the owners of the africans. People such as Queen Isabella II of Spain, the two spanish sailors from the ship, the us navy. And also a lawyer by the name of Baldwin is brought on the case by the abolitionists.

Baldwin soon finds a translator who is able to talk Cinque. cinque has become the leader of the group of in prsioned Africans. Cinque soon tells about his life and explains how he ended up on the ship. We are soon shown some flashbacks that show cinque was captured from his village and sold into slavery. He was then taken to the Caribbean Islands. We see that fifty people were drowned to save rations because the crew had to many people on board. Once he got to the carribean island he was illegally sold. Baldwin originally wins the case but the case is soon given over to the supreme court. former president John Quincy Adams is brought in to help with the case. On the final day the supreme court makes finally decide that they were illegally kidnapped from their homes and sold and that they were to be returned to where they belong.