Now Morgan Freeman has played the president of two countries. Think about it.
Invictus
starring Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon
directed by Clint Eastwood
Invictus might sound like a rather odd title for this movie, until you dig a bit deeper. It is a poem by William Ernest Henley in England in the late 19th century. Invictus means ‘Invincible’ in Latin; Henley wrote it in the hospital on his stay to have a foot amputated. The poem encouraged Nelson Mandela during his years in prison, and it’s words provide a running theme to the film: It matters not how straight the gate,/How charged with punishments the scroll./I am the master of my fate:/I am the captain of my soul.
Invictus takes place in South Africa at the beginning of Nelson Mandela’s (Freeman) first term as president. Not only has he recently been released from prison, but he faces a nation divided by the cultures and the color of the people’s skins. It is an issue of white and black, persecuted and freed; Mandela takes a personal stake in bringing peace to the nation, as opposed to what some would call justice. Though he has many issues of state to handle, he makes what he calls a human calculation on the South African Rugby team, the Springboks, for the soul nation. The whites love the team, so therefore the blacks cheer for anyone they play against. As the World Cup looms, Mandela makes contact with the team captain, Francois Pienaar (Damon). The Springboks must inspire their country to greatness and win the Cup; in doing so, there is a chance the nation will come together around the team, and hopefully, healing will begin.
The movie deals with multiple themes very well. There is the political side of the film; Mandela is struggling to put the view points of a divided nation aside and make decisions that are good for everyone as a whole. He of course runs into resistance. The racism is apparent but not overpowering; it is good to see the issue dealt with in another democratic setting rather than the American one. Then, there is the sport side of the film. Invictus could by all accounts be called a sport film, much like Remember the Titans or Friday Night Lights. It is every bit as inspirational, and follows a team struggling against great odds. In both aspects, Invictus is well done.
Its the combination of the two that doesn’t quite meld. I hate to say it because I love Clint Eastwood’s directing, but I think the faults of the film are in fact mostly his own. The best way to describe it is that the film is not Focused. To much time is spent with the politics of Nelson Mandela, and too many issues are brought up that are just not relevant to the Springbok story. Even elements of Mandela’s personal life are brought into the mix; it would be fine if it contributed to the story, but unforunately it does not. Without giving much away, Eastwood even threw in a small terrorism subplot that is nothing but a distraction and a waste of the viewer’s attention. Clint was dead on in the important scenes, but his usual focus was absent, and it hurt the intensity and interest of the film.
The best part, however, is the performances. Matt Damon is always a treat to watch; his variety of characters know no bounds. But in the character of Francois Pienaar, he plays a regular kind of guy that happens to play Rugby. It is a simple role that could have been over acted by lesser and more talented actors; but Damon played it just right, with the right amount of intensity. But the stand out performance is by far Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. It would not be a stretch to suggest Freeman was born to play this part. The accent is right. The body language is right. The look is right. The performance is inspiring, and I would be extremely disappointed if Morgan Freeman’s name is not on the Academy Awards ballot for best actor.
This is a film for sports fans and political drama fans alike. It does drag on a bit too long and loses its focus more than once, but is still worth the viewing. See it if for nothing more than the performances of the cast because they are quite stellar. I’d go as far as to say that Nelson Mandela would be proud of how both himself and his country were portrayed in one of their defining moments. On a side note: Clint Eastwood, you genius of a man; you can do better. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I know it and you know it, sir.
I am the Captain of my Soul.
Now Morgan Freeman has played the president of two countries. Think about it.
Invictus
starring Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon
directed by Clint Eastwood
Invictus might sound like a rather odd title for this movie, until you dig a bit deeper. It is a poem by William Ernest Henley in England in the late 19th century. Invictus means ‘Invincible’ in Latin; Henley wrote it in the hospital on his stay to have a foot amputated. The poem encouraged Nelson Mandela during his years in prison, and it’s words provide a running theme to the film: It matters not how straight the gate,/How charged with punishments the scroll./I am the master of my fate:/I am the captain of my soul.
Invictus takes place in South Africa at the beginning of Nelson Mandela’s (Freeman) first term as president. Not only has he recently been released from prison, but he faces a nation divided by the cultures and the color of the people’s skins. It is an issue of white and black, persecuted and freed; Mandela takes a personal stake in bringing peace to the nation, as opposed to what some would call justice. Though he has many issues of state to handle, he makes what he calls a human calculation on the South African Rugby team, the Springboks, for the soul nation. The whites love the team, so therefore the blacks cheer for anyone they play against. As the World Cup looms, Mandela makes contact with the team captain, Francois Pienaar (Damon). The Springboks must inspire their country to greatness and win the Cup; in doing so, there is a chance the nation will come together around the team, and hopefully, healing will begin.
The movie deals with multiple themes very well. There is the political side of the film; Mandela is struggling to put the view points of a divided nation aside and make decisions that are good for everyone as a whole. He of course runs into resistance. The racism is apparent but not overpowering; it is good to see the issue dealt with in another democratic setting rather than the American one. Then, there is the sport side of the film. Invictus could by all accounts be called a sport film, much like Remember the Titans or Friday Night Lights. It is every bit as inspirational, and follows a team struggling against great odds. In both aspects, Invictus is well done.
Its the combination of the two that doesn’t quite meld. I hate to say it because I love Clint Eastwood’s directing, but I think the faults of the film are in fact mostly his own. The best way to describe it is that the film is not Focused. To much time is spent with the politics of Nelson Mandela, and too many issues are brought up that are just not relevant to the Springbok story. Even elements of Mandela’s personal life are brought into the mix; it would be fine if it contributed to the story, but unforunately it does not. Without giving much away, Eastwood even threw in a small terrorism subplot that is nothing but a distraction and a waste of the viewer’s attention. Clint was dead on in the important scenes, but his usual focus was absent, and it hurt the intensity and interest of the film.
The best part, however, is the performances. Matt Damon is always a treat to watch; his variety of characters know no bounds. But in the character of Francois Pienaar, he plays a regular kind of guy that happens to play Rugby. It is a simple role that could have been over acted by lesser and more talented actors; but Damon played it just right, with the right amount of intensity. But the stand out performance is by far Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. It would not be a stretch to suggest Freeman was born to play this part. The accent is right. The body language is right. The look is right. The performance is inspiring, and I would be extremely disappointed if Morgan Freeman’s name is not on the Academy Awards ballot for best actor.
This is a film for sports fans and political drama fans alike. It does drag on a bit too long and loses its focus more than once, but is still worth the viewing. See it if for nothing more than the performances of the cast because they are quite stellar. I’d go as far as to say that Nelson Mandela would be proud of how both himself and his country were portrayed in one of their defining moments. On a side note: Clint Eastwood, you genius of a man; you can do better. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. I know it and you know it, sir.