"Hate put me in prison. Love's gonna bust me out." Those words, spoken by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Denzel Washington), form the thematic foundation of Norman Jewsion's latest film, The Hurricane. Alternatively tragic and triumphant, it is an exhilarating trip through the life and times of the title character, a championship boxer from Paterson, New Jersey, who spent 19 years behind bars for murders he did not commit. The Hurricane not only details the crime and the miscarriage of justice that followed, but shows how Carter survived the long, lonely years in prison, and how the devotion of a small group of Canadians led to his redemption.

It's difficult to state exactly where and when the movie begins, since, especially during its first half, it jumps around freely and frequently in time. There are numerous flashbacks, but the editing is clean and sharp, which keeps the potential for confusion to a minimum. It's usually easy to determine within a couple of seconds exactly what portion of Carter's life into which the current scene offers a window.

There are two primary time periods. The first begins in 1963, when The Hurricane defeats Emile Griffith for the World Welter Weight title, and continues through 1966, when he is arrested and tried for murder, then into the 1970s, when he is incarcerated at Trenton State Prison on a life sentence. The second time period occurs during the 1980s, when Lesra Martin (Vicellous Shannon), a Brooklyn teenager living in Canada, buys a copy of Carter's autobiography, The 16th Round, and develops a passion to meet Carter. Encouraged by the three older people he is living with - Sam (Liev Schreiber), Terry (John Hannah), and Lisa (Deborah Unger) - he opens a correspondence with Carter, then travels to New Jersey to visit him. Following the face-to-face meeting, Lesra becomes determined to free Carter, and enlists the aid of Sam, Terry, and Lisa in his struggle.

Many people became aware of Carter's plight as a result of Bob Dylan's mid-70s ballad, "The Hurricane" (which is featured on two separate occasions during the course of the film). Over the years, a number of celebrities have leant their support to Carter's cause, but none of the marches or protests had any effect. What made the difference was the commitment of the group from Toronto, who gave up their jobs, moved to New Jersey, and literally risked their lives to find the evidence to prove Carter's innocence and to bring to light the corruption of the Paterson police lieutenant (Dan Hedaya) who hunted The Hurricane like a dog. Their efforts turn The Hurricane into a story of victory rather than defeat.

Excerpt from James Berardinelli's review at ReelViews located HERE