? For this month’s edition of Classics Revisited, we’re taking a look back at one of most gripping cinematic courtroom dramas of the late ‘90s: A Time to Kill. It’s a simple equation, really — if a ‘90s film stars Mathew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sandra Bullock, it’s likely to be a Hollywood blockbuster — and that’s exactly what it was. Directed by the late Joel Schumacher, the film takes place in a small town in Mississippi where racism and injustice run rampant.

Tonya Hailey, a 10-year-old girl, is walking home from the store carrying groceries for her mother when she’s spotted by two young white men who chase her down, rape her, and attempt to murder her. By some miracle, Tonya survives, barely able to find her way home. Her father, Carl Lee Hailey (Jackson), comes home to find her beaten and bloodied. Soon, the two men are arrested.

Not long after, Carl Lee enlists the help of Jake Brigance (McConaughey), a young and promising lawyer who had previously handled cases for his family. As lawyer and father discuss the nature of the case, Carl Lee comes to the conclusion that his daughter’s assailants and rapists may just walk away unscathed, perceiving the law in the South as granting little justice to black people. Carl Lee’s violent solution finds Jake taking on the task of defending him in a murder case.

The court of public opinion: The case soon makes waves, drawing significant public attention. Rufus Buckley (Spacey), the DA — with racial prejudices of his own — pushes for death by electric chair for Carl Lee. At the same time, one of the assailants’ brothers (Kiefer Sutherland) joins the KKK, re-establishing its town charter and triggering a wave of racially-motivated violence.

“It ain't easy saving the world, even one case at a time.” A Time to Kill deftly and intelligently encapsulates the complexities of the American South during the era in which the film takes place. Amid rampant racism, judicial corruption, extremism, and white supremacy, the young lawyer attempts to defend a father who had lost all hope in justice, and took matters into his own hands. Therein lies a question: what constitutes justice, and what constitutes revenge?

The film sheds light on a dark period in American history, the echoes of which still ring today, detailing the story of extremist racial groups, their violent undertakings, and how prejudice can ignite fires impossible to put out. These devilish doings are perhaps best portrayed by the younger Sutherland in his role as Freddie Lee Cobb. The entire cast delivered stellar performances, culminating in a courtroom drama that has since set the bar for film and television successors.

A Time to Kill is a film that transcends genre. It's a crime, courtroom drama, and horror movie all at once. Cinematography is just the icing on the cake, and the soundtrack adds great depth to the plot. In short, it is uncontestedly one of the ‘90s cinematic crown jewels, and one you will not want to miss out on.

DISCLAIMER: The film may only be suitable for mature audiences, as it contains several disturbing scenes.

WHERE TO WATCH IT- You can stream A Time to Kill on Netflix. Catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:24).

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