Whether you liked it or hated it, MISSISSIPPI BURNING will have your full attention right from the start. The movie is powerful, though it is questionable that it only won Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards. More interesting is the cinematography was not that deserving compared to the direction and acting. Gene Hackman and his role as Anderson was a standout, applauding effort.<br /><br />It is Jessup County, Mississippi in 1964. Tensions are high between blacks and red-necks. Three civil rights workers are murdered. Two FBI agents, one a by-the-book fellow, the other a people smart man who was raised in Mississippi begin an investigation on it yet no one wants 'outsiders' around, thus trouble starts brewing.<br /><br />The view of the Ku Klux Klan and the way they attack is shown brutally and without pulling any punches. It is amazing to think that this was not so long ago and how people perceived this sort of violence. Some of the scenes are too much and some scenes are a little dull, but MISSISSIPPI BURNING is a gripping film whether you like it or not and the two hours will seem really short.