A hurrikán

A hurrikán elsöprő erejének nem lehet ellenállni. Rubin Cartert barátai és ellenfelei azért nevezik Hurrikánnak, mert úgy bokszol, ahogy előtte senki. Biztos lehet benne, hogy hamarosan ő lesz a középsúlyú profi világbajnok.
Ám a sors egy váratlan balegyenessel egy életre kirepíti őt a ringből. Egy New Jersey-i kocsmában hármas gyilkosság történik, Hurrikánt bevádolják, letartóztatják, majd hamis bizonyítékok alapján életfogytiglani börtönre ítélik.
A rács mögött minden megváltozik. A hiú, nagyvilági sikerember csendessé és visszahúzódóvá válik. Amikor évek múlva egy fiatal rajongója megpróbálja rávenni, hogy kérjenek perújrafelvételt, ő nem akar kötélnek állni. Szívesebben maradna zárkájában. Ám az egyre erősebbé váló szabadítási akció meggyőzi, és újra feltámad benne a régi harci szellem.
Szabad akar lenni, mégpedig bármi áron...
Hurrikán valós történet drámai hitelességgel filmesítette meg Norman Jewison, aki Densel Washingtonnál nagyszerűbb színészt aligha találhatott volna erre a nehéz szerepre. Hurrikán megformálásáért Washingtont Oscar*-díjra jelölték!

Here comes the story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the boxer who was framed for a murder he didn't commit and spent the next 22 years fighting to prove his innocence. Carter's story was first made famous through Bob Dylan's song, which resonates throughout the film, but The Hurricane continues the story up to the present day.

Writers Dan Gordon and Armyan Bernstein take numerous liberties with the truth, changing many of the facts for dramatic purposes. In the process, The Hurricane becomes a powerful howl of outrage against the volatile climate of racial tension and intolerance that led to a blatant miscarriage of justice. Director Norman Jewison has explored these themes before, most notably in the Oscar winning classic In The Heat Of The Night and A Soldier's Story, and his obvious passion shapes this epic film into an overtly manipulative yet compelling and moving experience.

The fight to clear his name is taken up in earnest when the barely literate 13 year old Lesra Martin (Vicellous Reon Shannon, a regular on tv series Dangerous Minds, etc) purchases a copy of Carter's autobiography for 25 cents at a book sale. Lesra has been taken under the wing of three liberal Canadians (Liev Schreiber, Deborah Kara Unger, from Crash, etc, and Sliding Doors' John Hannah), who take him from the slums of Brooklyn to improve his education. Inspired by Carter's book, Lesra begins a correspondence with the imprisoned boxer that changes both their lives. Embittered and disillusioned by his experience, Carter (superbly played by Denzel Washington in one of the best performances of his career) begins to trust the young Lesra, and an unlikely but ultimately inspiring friendship develops. Convinced by Lesra's belief in Carter's innocence, his three guardians begin to investigate the case themselves, hoping to find the crucial evidence that will overturn the wrongful conviction.

They are dealing with a case in which the tainted evidence is firmly buried in the past. Many key witnesses are long dead, and some of the remaining players, like corrupt racist cop Della Pesca (Dan Hedaya), want to ensure it remains closed. Eventually the three amateur sleuths triumph, as Federal Court Judge Sarokin (Rod Steiger) overturns the conviction and sets Carter free.

Unlike other more conventional biopics about champion boxers (Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Greatest, and Martin Scorsese's blistering Raging Bull, etc) The Hurricane is as much as a powerful prison drama, with overtones of The Shawshank Redemption, and a stirring quest for justice as it is the story of a fighter who could have been the champion of the world. Jewison has taken a leaf out of Scorsese's book, and had veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins film the brutal boxing scenes in glorious black and white.

But The Hurricane is not merely the story of Carter's search for justice and redemption - it is also Lesra's story. Jewison draws wonderful parallels between the pair - one imprisoned by racial hatred and prejudice and searching for justice, the other largely imprisoned by the impoverishment of his background and struggling for direction. However, some of the peripheral characters, such as Hedaya's corrupt cop and the three Canadians, are clumsily sketched and remain largely stereotyped and ill-defined The stellar cast struggle against an often impoverished script to bring their underdeveloped characters to life.

Fittingly enough, The Hurricane is Washington's film, and his powerful presence dominates the screen. He brings an innate sense of dignity to every role he plays, but here he also brings a palpable sense of anger and vehemence to his powerful performance. Washington is thoroughly convincing in a complex role that requires him to age some 20 years and run a gamut of emotions. Steiger's brief appearance as the judge is certainly flamboyant, but, thankfully, less erratic than his recent scene stealing turn in a similar role in the recent Crazy In Alabama.

With The Hurricane, Jewison wears his heart openly on his sleeve, which leads to some moments that are manipulative, clichéd and saccharine. However, it's a measure of Jewison's earnest and impassioned approach that Carter can utter a line as potentially clichéd as "Hate put me in this prison, but love is going to set me free" and reduce an audience to tears rather than howls of derision.

   Bio

• One of the most highly respected actors of the 90's, Denzel has mastered the art of storytelling; whether in action films, thrillers, or social awareness-themed films. Being recognized for his work with countless nominations and awards, Denzel is also admired by the ladies (and the industry) as one of the most handsome men in Hollywood.
• Denzel Washington Jr. was born in Mount Vernon, New York, on December 28, 1954. The middle child of his parents' three children, Washington grew up surrounded by fervent performances and constant storytelling.

son of a preacher man

• His father, Denzel Sr., was a preacher, while his mother, Lennis, a beautician. Watching his father's passionate performances at church, and listening to his mother gossip and tell stories while she dolled up her clients at the salon, were the perfect ingredients to finally create Washington's passion for drama and performing.
• Washington and his older sister were sent to boarding school when the actor was 14 years old, so that him and his sister would not witness the downfall of their parents' failed marriage. He then attended Fordham University and received a B.A. in journalism. He showed his potential for the dramatic arts when he participated in several student productions, most notably his lead role in Othello.
• Once a university graduate, Washington pursued his studies at the American Conservatory Theater on scholarship, to study a different form of storytelling: drama.
• After only one year of studying, Washington grew antsy and was ready to perfect his acting skills in a more practical manner, by actually pursuing his career.

Denzel goes elsewhere

• Before hitting it big as Dr. Phillip Chandler on the NBC drama St. Elsewhere (which can be considered his claim to fame), Washington appeared in the made-for-TV movie Wilma and a production of Coriolanus at a Shakespeare Festival. He appeared on the big screen for the first time in the 1981 film Carbon Copy.
• During his six years on St. Elsewhere, Washington used his summertime breaks to work on his film career. He starred in 1987's Cry Freedom (which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor), but it was his Oscar-winning portrayal (in the category of Best Supporting Actor) of a runaway slave in the 1989 historical drama, Glory, that ensured movie audiences and critics would not ignore the star that was in the making.
• In the '90s Denzel Washington's name appeared on the credits of many diversified films. He starred in three Spike Lee joints: Mo' Better Blues; Malcolm X (for which his title role garnered Washington Best Actor awards from the New York Critics Circle, Boston Film Critics Association and an Oscar nomination); and He Got Game.

  streets of Denzel

• In more serious roles, Washington equally never disappoints. His role in the critically acclaimed drama Philadelphia, as the lawyer defending Tom Hanks´HIV-infected character won rave reviews, while his 1999 portrayal of wrongfully accused champion boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in The Hurricane, earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and an Oscar nomination in the same category.
• The role also gave him a new six-pack after having trained for a year and a half with a boxing trainer in preparation for the role.
• After a role as Herman Boone in 2000's Remember the Titans, Washington starred as the title role in John Q.. His performance in Training Day garnered him the Best Actor Oscar in 2002, making him the first African-American actor to receive the honor in 40 years, since Sidney Poitier.
• Spokesman for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Washington is an avid supporter of charities such as The Gathering Place (a home for those who are infected by HIV), the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, and his church.

  no more training

• As if being named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World several times and one of Empire magazine's 100 Sexiest Stars in film history weren't enough proof of Washington's looks, Newsweek used him in article about the scientific explanation of "beauty".
• Washington lives in Los Angeles with his wife of 17 years, Pauletta Pearson, and their four children, John David, Katia, and twins Malcolm and Olivia.
• Denzel Washington makes his directorial debut in the 2002 film The Antwone Fisher Story (a.k.a Finding Fish).
• What else do you need to know?

• He's got talent tattooed all over; he's an accomplished entertainer; and a very respectable man who is more than an actor to many people. Calling him a hero might be a stretch, but his fans think he is, and if you've seen the size of some of his fans, you'd know better than to argue.

• Other than being one of the best actors on the face of the earth, Denzel has stayed remarkably humble. He's portrayed great men such as Malcom X and Hurricane Carter to name a few and has done the roles justice where most would surely have failed! Denzel isn't afraid to get his hands dirty by accepting smaller roles that help him hone his skills. Oh, lest we forget, he's one slick dude.

quote

"I like talking. I like acting. Running and jumping and ducking bullets is not my idea of a good day."
-Denzel Washington on his preference for performance films rather than Blockbuster action movies.

Homepages:

Just Densel

 Densel Washington Fan Website