Invictus (2009)

Beautiful, moving film.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Invictus is a story about perseverance and forgiveness. It is a story of failure and triumph. This is an inspirational story about a rugby team that refuses to give in, and succeeds despite all odds at mending its broken country. Nelson Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, is the epitome of leading by example. He is an empathetic, but strong willed leader who is determined to see his country whole again.He forgives those who locked him away in a cell and subjected him to hard labor for 30 years, because he wanted freedom for his people. He realizes now that his past enemies are now his people, and he must guide them. He keeps the name of the Springboks, and interests himself in the sport of his country. He talks to crowds of people, any of whom might be an assailant, but he puts himself in danger to show that he is not afraid, that these are his people. He supports the culture of the white minority, even though they were his enemies. He also leads Francois, captain of the South African Rugby team, by giving him a poem for which the film is named. Francois is a sincere leader who wants the best for his team, and he tries to accomplish the goals that he and Mandela share, a victory for South Africa. Matt Damon plays this part extremely well, nervous when first meeting Mandela, serious when leading his team off the field, and fierce in the huddle. The poem that helped both Mandela and Francois preaches perseverance and strength under pressure. For while an enemy may beat you, he may not crush your soul unless you let him. This is a theme shown throughout the film that makes this story so inspirational.

The sporting sequences in Clint Eastwood's film are so-so; despite the guttural grunts on the soundtrack, it's clear the actors will never be successful rugby players. The commentary on the game(s) is replete with expressions that would not be used in rugby-playing countries; this is inevitable, perhaps, when the film is aimed at mass audiences, the majority of whom are not au fait with the game's rules.Yet such shortcomings should not detract from a highly uplifting film that shows how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) not only managed to unify the country during that magical year of 1995, but preached a message of hope and forgiveness that everyone could understand. Director Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Anthony Peckham are very good at depicting South Africa in the immediate aftermath of Mandela's release, when the whites and blacks had to try to get used to living as equals. This is well illustrated in the subplot involving the security guards, led by Jason (Tony Kgoroge), with white subordinates who up until a few years previously had been arresting their black counterparts. With their sharp suits and stony expressions, the white guards, led by Hendrick (Matt Stern) look especially fearsome.Mandela's way of reconciling the two races was simple; not just to supplant one regime with another, but to try and reconcile everyone. Hence his insistence on preserving the Springbok name and colors for the rugby team. The sequence where he enters a meeting and overturns a majority black vote to ban the name is especially affecting; Mandela speaks slowly and in measured tones, without trying to antagonize anyone.The central relationship between Mandela and South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) has been cleverly handled. While Pienaar wants to adapt to the new South Africa, it's clear he is not sure how to do so, until Mandela invites him to afternoon tea. In this oh-so-tranquil of surroundings Mandela outlines his vision and the means to accomplish it, not by imposing his will on anyone but encouraging consensus. It is a lesson well learned; in the World Cup Final when South Africa are trailing the All Blacks, Pienaar calls his team together into a huddle and reminds them of why they are playing the game, not just for themselves but the entire nation.The title INVICTUS comes from a poem by the nineteenth century British writer W. H. Henley, emphasizing the importance of listening to the gods but remaining "the captain of one's soul." This is a lesson both Mandela and Pienaar are well aware of, as together they lead their country into a new era of national unity.

Nelson Mandela will always be a role model. He had so much compassion for the people around him. He believed in the Human being that we are able to elevate ourselves and accomplish things we thought we could never be able to. The power of the Human will, the Power of We when we come together to achieve a common goal.Invictus is making him justice and is such an awesome tribute to this great man nicknamed Madiba. I cried a lot during this movie I still do each time I watch this awesome movie. In this world full of selfishness and violence, Invictus is like a fresh sunshine. There is no war no blood no violence. Just Unity, love, compassion and sport.Sport is a mean to achieve peace between us, something which brings us together and allows us to achieve great things. Mandela realized it and used his National Rugby Team, once a symbol of the Apartheid which torn up the country he cherished the most for such a long time, to bring his Nation together and win the World Cup. This event was just a way to achieve a greater goal and it worked.There would be no one better than Clint Eastwood, who as Mandela, is believing in the Human Being, to direct this awesome tribute. This movie is so enlightening, so moving, so inspiring it will make everyone cry of happiness and joy. It is also very sober, very simple only relying on the great talent of the actors to make a wonderful masterpiece.Morgan Freeman is just so impressive in the role of Nelson Mandela. He shows his aura throughout the movie and he is proving once again he is such an awesome actor who can make us feel beautiful emotions. He is one of the kind and I can't see no one else to impersonate such a powerful role model.Matt Damon is also awesome in playing Francois Pienaar the Springboks captain. He is inspiring in every scene he appears especially when he tries to tell his rugby fellow players that they are much worthier than they think they are. He is moving as he invited them to play and explain Rugby rules to young black kids in the ghettos surrounding Pretoria.So yes we definitely need to see more movies like this which we are able to see how awesome the Human Being can be. This movie brings something very beautiful and pushes us to believe in ourselves and to come together to achieve great things. It counterbalances selfishness and greed with replacing them with compassion and unity.So thank you so much Mr Mandela and Mr Eastwood for this awesome lesson of life. And may other will follow your path. x

Sports films usually leave me cold; I never watch sport in real life so watching it in film holds no appeal for me. However, this story of rugby in South Africa in the early 1990s holds plenty of appeal, thanks to expert direction from Clint Eastwood and an excellent performance from Morgan Freeman who embodies the spirit and persona of Nelson Mandela. It's the political backdrop that makes the sport interesting, and INVICTUS is a great film to watch as a result.The cinematography is particularly proficient here; I had the pleasure of watching this in high definition and it's a beautiful film to look at. Eastwood is on top form. The material is a little weaker, failing to explore the complexities of the situation and sinking into schmaltz at various points; Eastwood can't avoid evoking some sentimentality in scenes of stirring music playing and whites and blacks working together. It's not as bad as in something like VOLCANO, but it's there, and it's a bit condescending. Still, Matt Damon's on board and delivers another solid turn, and even the hardest of hearts will find much to enjoy here.