Invictus

4 stars

The road to greatness is paved with hardship - and Morgan Freeman is well up to the challenge.

Rating: PG
Stars: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

What’s the story?
As Nelson Mandela (Freeman) takes office as the new President of South Africa, the country is still torn apart by racial hatred. Among the many issues facing Mandela is the Rugby World Cup his country is hosting. He realizes that the best way to unify the new nation divided by old hate is to give them reason to support the country. The story follows the white captain of the national rugby team Francois Piennar (Damon) as he struggles to rally his team to victory and the black president as he struggles to rally his country to the team… one team, one country.

Why see it?
While Invictus is a sports movie, it is unlike most; it is so much more. The well-developed story of a nation in turmoil will appeal to all audiences, as will the superb performance of Freeman. He is the largest asset to this movie in his masterful portrayal of the president who changed a nation. The film excels at showing the real situation of the country at the time, from the setting to the people. A well-composed soundtrack compliments the complete package.

Problems?
The entire movie focuses on the political atmosphere and the dynamics of the country and of the game, but seems somewhat short on character development. The story of the captain, and especially his relationship with his racist father, is somewhat marginalized in favour of the politics of running a country. For a story about two men, I felt it should focus on both equally. Invictus is a poem that Mandela read to keep him going in prison, and then gave to Piennar to inspire him; however, too little was made of this connection to merit naming the movie such.

All in All:
Minor gripes aside, a spectacular movie that should be enjoyed by all.