The narrative perils are daunting in this little-known true tale of a bloody slave-ship rebellion in 1839 and its jumbled aftermath in the U.S. judicial system.

'Amistad' may not be the first, or fifth, or tenth film people talk about when Spielberg's name comes up. But it has more moments that will put your hair on end than other filmmakers' best works, and that says something.

Powerful story for mid-teens and up.

Although flawed, this chilling movie further reveals Spielberg's skill as an expert film-maker unafraid of tackling heavy political