The Hurricane
A wrongfully imprisoned boxer draws strength from an unlikely alliance determined to challenge the racist system that took away his freedom.
Overview
A powerful story of resilience and the fight for justice against systemic racism.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- intense
- melancholic
- inspirational
- inspirational viewing
- sports drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film moving and inspirational, led by Denzel Washington's powerful performance, while noting its conventional and sometimes fictionalized biopic treatment.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rubin Carter's boxing career, murder conviction, imprisonment, and campaign for exoneration form the film's central narrative.
Carter's prosecution and imprisonment are presented as being sustained by a racist establishment invested in his continued confinement.
Carter's autobiography persuades Lesra Martin and his Canadian mentors to investigate his case and work toward his freedom.
Carter's rise as a middleweight contender provides the foundation for his self-image before imprisonment transforms his fight into a legal and moral one.
Films like The Hurricane, and why
Ali
shares a biographical sports-drama structure, a determined central performance, and themes of institutional injustice and resilience
The Shawshank Redemption
shares a prison setting, wrongful-conviction themes, racial injustice, and an emotionally uplifting dramatic arc
Malcolm X
shares a true-story civil-rights drama framework, inspirational perseverance, and a charismatic lead performance
Cinderella Man
shares a boxing-centered biographical drama format, working-class struggle, and a redemptive emotional register
Movie Details
- Director
- Norman Jewison
- Release Date
- 1999-09-17
- Runtime
- 146 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (1576)
Cast
- Denzel Washington
- Vicellous Shannon
- Deborah Kara Unger
- Liev Schreiber
- John Hannah
- Dan Hedaya
- Debbi Morgan
- Clancy Brown
- David Paymer
- Harris Yulin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Hurricane about?
- A wrongfully imprisoned boxer draws strength from an unlikely alliance determined to challenge the racist system that took away his freedom.
- What is The Hurricane like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Hurricane as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Hurricane violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Hurricane as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Hurricane?
- Critics broadly found the film moving and inspirational, led by Denzel Washington's powerful performance, while noting its conventional and sometimes fictionalized biopic treatment.
- Which films are like The Hurricane?
- Films with a similar feel include Ali, The Shawshank Redemption, Malcolm X, and Cinderella Man.
- How long is The Hurricane?
- The Hurricane runs 146 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Hurricane?
- In United States, The Hurricane streams on Starz Apple TV channel.
