Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
Starring Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman, Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern, Julian Lewis Jones, Adjoa Andoh, Marguerite Wheatley.
Written by Anthony Peckham, based on the book by John Carlin.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
GRADE: B+
REVIEWClint Eastwood movies are kind of boring. I'm not saying they are bad; I'm just saying that all the good stuff in them is sandwiched between deliberate, slow-moving reflective dialogue and whatever sleepy jazz music Eastwood is into. Most Eastwood films are also a little (okay, a lot) depressing in their subject matter, like a paralyzed boxer, or both sides of the battle for Iwo Jima. When I found out Clint was directing
Invictus, a sports movie, I was understandably skeptical as to whether Eastwood would make a rugby movie depressing or not.
Invictus is the true story of the South African national rugby team and their struggles to succeed in uniting a country after the abolition of apartheid. Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela, who becomes the country's new president at a tense time when blacks were looking for some payback following years of white oppression and whites were scared of retaliation.
One illustrative reality of the racial tension in the mid-90s was that when South Africa's national rugby team (or Springboks) played, blacks would often see them as a symbol of white oppression and cheered for their opponents. With blacks now taking over majorities in all parts of South African government, the possibility of changing everything about the team, its colors and its name was a definite possibility until Mandela stepped in to push for keeping the team's identity.
Mandela enlists Springboks team captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) to rally the team to win the 1995 rugby World Cup, hoping to unite blacks and whites around a single national cause. The Springboks' chances aren't very good, and even as the host country, especially with the dominant New Zealand All Blacks favored to win.
Pienaar has his troubles, but finds inspiration from Mandela, whose triumph after a long imprisonment helps illustrate how to overcome adversity. Pienaar also takes the team out of its comfort zone, interacting with children in the slums during clinics, and visiting the island prison where Mandela served out the majority of his 27 year sentence. Pienaar also finds inspiration in Mandela's favorite poem
Invictus by William Ernest Henley.
When the tournament arrives, the Springboks face some tough challenges but somehow make it all the way to the final game. I won't spoil the ending for you, but regardless of the final score, I can say that Mandela's plan to unite the entire country under one flag is beautifully successful.
I liked
Invictus a lot. Freeman's performance as Mandela is definitely Oscar-worthy, and Damon's understated portrayal of the inspirational rugby team captain is perfect for the mood and feel of the movie.
I suppose the biggest pleasant surprise for me in Invictus is the reality that Eastwood can make a good film that isn't plodding, long and depressing. There are some Eastwood staples like the music provided by his family members, but for the most part, they don't get in the way of the good and true story.
There are also some scenes and speeches during Invictus that appear to be embellished and perhaps a little heavy handed, but I couldn't help but feel pretty good about how the movie showed the reality of the 1995 World Cup and its implications toward uniting a country on the verge of civil war. It's great to see how sports can be a force for good in a world so divided, and
Invictus is a good example of the transcending power of love over hate.
