As a minority, my review of a movie about the abolishment of slavery may be a little biased. However, the last time I saw a movie that received this much clapping was when Tinkerbell nearly died in Peter Pan.

It’s astounding how there were once people that actually needed convincing that slavery was disgraceful and inhuman. The English figured slavery was a necessity for gaining the upper hand on competing countries as they were engaged in the Revolutionary War with the Americas. William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd from the Fantastic Four franchise) felt he could show them otherwise.

Nauseous at the thought of owning human beings, Wilberforce made it his personal mission to rid his homeland of it’s role in the slave trade and the sugar cane plantations in Jamaica. The film starts as an older Wilberforce is introduced, in blind date fashion, to a young woman by a close friend. As they are getting acquainted, she inquires about his past work in Parliament, specifically his failures in the abolishment of slavery. Through recounts of his passionate quest to make the world a better place as he felt his God had intended, Wilberforce is re-inspired to give his dream a final try.

Amazing Grace is another one of those movies that increases your thirst for knowledge. I ran straight to my computer to seek information from Wikipedia as soon as I arrived home.

To see Ioan Gruffudd’s performance of William Wilberforce, a man who hated slavery so much it gave him what appeared to be stomach ulcers, was as inspiring as it was educational. He made the role his own and perfectly played a young, high-spirited William during the flashbacks, while easily transitioning to an older, sicker, exhausted William throughout the movie itself.

I was also intrigued by the portrayals of the slave-owning Members Of Parliament, the dissecting of the death traps that they called slave ships, and the small groups that made it their life’s work to rid slavery from England and eventually the world. I was initially unaware of England’s role in the abolishment of slavery. Thanks to my sub-par high school, I was only taught America’s role. This film made me want to learn the rest of the story.

Not only do I recommend this movie, I suggest it be required viewing for students as well.

Popularity: 1% [?]