'Invictus' (2009)
By Adam Beck • MovieMassacre.com
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Written by: Anthony Peckham (Screenplay) and John Carlin (Book)
Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Part sports bio, part political drama…‘Invictus’ tells the story of Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman), one year into his presidency, as he attempts to bring racial harmony to the people of South Africa through the popular sport of Rugby. Matt Damon plays Springbok rugby Captain Francois Pienaar, who is given the daunting task of restructuring his uninspired team and gaining the overall support of the non-white majority of South Africa, still fuming over years of racial segregation. With the odds stacked against them, President Mandela and Pineaar must work together in unifying the country, through national pride, by winning the rugby World Cup as the hosting nation.
The film is beautifully shot by Tom Stern (Gran Torino), showcasing South Africa’s magnificent landscapes with a documentary-like feel, as well as a roaring DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack (featured on the Blu-ray) that makes you feel as though you’re actually sitting in the stadium watching the World Cup unfold. Of course, like all Clint Eastwood films, ‘Invictus’ also exhibits proficient direction from a man who knows how to get the most out of his actors. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon do such an impeccable job in their respective roles that you become completely absorbed and forget that these two guys are simply acting.
The only problem I had with this film and other sport biopic’s like 2004’s ‘Miracle’ (The re-telling of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team win over Russia), is that these types of films carry with them a huge amount of predictability. Fans of Rugby will already know the outcome of 'Invictus' and the Springbok's quest for the 1995 World Cup...and even those who don’t follow the sport will quickly be able to tell where the story is heading and where it will eventually end up. Hell the poster art itself gives away the ending! Because of this I often have a hard time enjoying these types of films as much as I should, but with the political interweaving presented in the story, 'Invictus' becomes much more fascinating than most films in this category. Overall an excellent movie that’s certainly worth checking out.
'Invictus' is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and Video On Demand!
Written by: Anthony Peckham (Screenplay) and John Carlin (Book)
Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Part sports bio, part political drama…‘Invictus’ tells the story of Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman), one year into his presidency, as he attempts to bring racial harmony to the people of South Africa through the popular sport of Rugby. Matt Damon plays Springbok rugby Captain Francois Pienaar, who is given the daunting task of restructuring his uninspired team and gaining the overall support of the non-white majority of South Africa, still fuming over years of racial segregation. With the odds stacked against them, President Mandela and Pineaar must work together in unifying the country, through national pride, by winning the rugby World Cup as the hosting nation.
The film is beautifully shot by Tom Stern (Gran Torino), showcasing South Africa’s magnificent landscapes with a documentary-like feel, as well as a roaring DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack (featured on the Blu-ray) that makes you feel as though you’re actually sitting in the stadium watching the World Cup unfold. Of course, like all Clint Eastwood films, ‘Invictus’ also exhibits proficient direction from a man who knows how to get the most out of his actors. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon do such an impeccable job in their respective roles that you become completely absorbed and forget that these two guys are simply acting.
The only problem I had with this film and other sport biopic’s like 2004’s ‘Miracle’ (The re-telling of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team win over Russia), is that these types of films carry with them a huge amount of predictability. Fans of Rugby will already know the outcome of 'Invictus' and the Springbok's quest for the 1995 World Cup...and even those who don’t follow the sport will quickly be able to tell where the story is heading and where it will eventually end up. Hell the poster art itself gives away the ending! Because of this I often have a hard time enjoying these types of films as much as I should, but with the political interweaving presented in the story, 'Invictus' becomes much more fascinating than most films in this category. Overall an excellent movie that’s certainly worth checking out.
'Invictus' is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and Video On Demand!
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